South African Bobotie

The Bobotie is a traditional South African dish that consists of a mixture of minced meat and fruit to which spices and a creamy garnish are added. Here is a version of the recipe with an Italian twist.

Ingredients

• 500 g of ground beef or lamb
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon of curry powder
• 1 teaspoon of turmeric
• 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 1 lemon (juice and zest)
• 50 g of raisins or other dried fruit, soaked in water
• 50 g of chopped almonds (optional)
• 2 slices of white bread, soaked in milk
• 1 egg
• 150 ml of milk
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 green apple, chopped
• Extra virgin olive oil for frying
• Bay leaves for decoration

Preparation

1. In a large frying pan, fry the chopped onion and garlic in olive oil until translucent.
2. Add the ground meat and brown it until golden.
3. Stir in the spices; curry, turmeric, and cumin, as well as the lemon zest and juice. Cook for a few minutes until the spices are well distributed.
4. Squeeze the water from the bread and crumble it into the meat mixture. Also add the raisins, chopped almonds, and green apple. Mix everything well and cook for another 5 minutes.
5. Season with salt and pepper and transfer the mixture to a baking dish.
6. In a bowl, beat the egg with the milk and pour it over the meat mixture.
7. Decorate with bay leaves.
8. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 30-40 minutes or until the top is set and golden.

Trivia

Bobotie has a long history in South Africa and it is said that its origins date back to the Cape Malay community, influenced by the Dutch settlers. The presence of dried fruit and spices is typical of the Asian influence on Cape cuisine. In this version, we added chopped almonds to add a crunchy texture and a richer flavor, in line with the Italian taste.

I hope you enjoy preparing and savoring this dish!