Step 1

To prepare the eggplants: Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Cut the eggplant ¼ inch thick lengthwise.  Lay the eggplant on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush with oil, and season with salt and pepper.  Bake for 15- 20 minutes or until lightly browned and softened. Remove and set aside to cool slightly.

Step 2

For the meat sauce, in a medium-sized pot, sauté the celery, carrots, and onions with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil until translucent. Add the garlic and chilli and sauté until fragrant. Add the ground beef and season with salt and black pepper powder. Once the meat has browned, add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, sugar and water; mix and bring the mixture to a boil on high heat, then cover the pot and leave to simmer on low heat for about 30 to 40 minutes until the sauce thickens.

Step 3

To make the béchamel sauce, melt the butter in a separate pot on medium–low heat. Mix the flour with the melted butter to make the roux. Continue mixing the roux until it has turned slightly golden brown. It is essential to brown the roux to remove the floury flavour from yourbéchamel sauce. Add the milk and continue mixing to avoid clumps and anything from sticking to the base. If the sauce is too thick, add more milk—season with salt, white pepper powder and nutmeg. Remove from heat and keep aside.

Step 4

To assemble, Place half the eggplant in the bottom of a baking dish.  Then top with all the meat filling. Top with remaining eggplant, then pour over the Béchamel Sauce and sprinkle with breadcrumbs.

Step 5

Bake for 30 - 40 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving.