Chef Nokuthula Majoz says: ‘Pronounced “Ba-bo-tea”, this pie represents what I love most – British craftsmanship and SouthAfrican heritage. Both fruity and savoury, it is usually served with turmeric rice and a salad.’
Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days; either reheat in a medium oven, wrapped in foil, or serve at room temperature.
Start with the pastry. Add both of the flours, the turmeric and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer and stir to combine. Beat 2 eggs and strain through a sieve, then add to the flour mixture and turn the mixer on for about 30 seconds to start to combine.
Put the lard or vegetable fat in a pan with 150ml water, with the rosemary sprig if using; bring slowly to the boil. Remove from the heat and discard the rosemary. Start the mixer and slowly pour the hot liquid into the flour and egg mix, scraping the bowl and paddle halfway to stop any lumps forming. Continue to mix until the dough starts to come together. Tip out onto a sheet of baking paper, cover with a second sheet and flatten to a rough disc. Set aside at room temperature until cool.
For the filling, place a large saucepan on a medium heat and add the oil. Add the onion and fry for around 6 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic, ginger, curry powder, cumin, and turmeric and cook for a few minutes on a low heat.
Add the tomato purée and chutney and cook for a few more minutes, before adding the beef mince, stirring to break it up. Cook on a low heat for 10-15 minutes. Add the sultanas, almonds and Worcestershire sauce and season well; let any excess liquid evaporate. Set aside to cool completely.
Preheat the oven to 200°C, fan 180°C, gas 6, with a baking tray in to get hot. Set aside a third of the pastry for the lid, and then roll out the remaining pastry until it’s large enough to line a 20cm diameter loose-based sponge tin. Lightly oil the tin and line with the pastry, leaving the excess pastry overhanging. Chill for 5 minutes.
Fill the pie with the cooled meat mixture and level out. Beat together the eggs and milk and slowly pour this over the top of the meat filling. Roll out the remaining pastry until it’s large enough to create a lid. Brush the inner top of the lid with beaten egg glaze, before placing it on top of the pie. Cut off any excess pastry and crimp the edges all the way round to seal. Any pastry offcuts can be rolled and used to decorate, in whatever style you wish. Make a steam hole in the centre with a knife and brush the lid with the remaining egg glaze. Bake on the hot tray for 40-50 minutes or until golden and crisp. Leave to cool inside the tin for 30-40 minutes. Unmould and serve warm, or at room temperature.
More pie recipes to try
Beef and ale pie with pickled walnuts 'Skinny' fish, pea and parsley pies with sesame pastry
Bobotie is a South African dish similar to meatloaf but so much better. Ground beef is seasoned with slightly sweet curry, topped with a milk and egg custard, and baked until golden brown. It's delicious! Submitted by trixie. Updated on February 6, 2023.
Ground meat, called mince or minced meat outside North America, is meat finely chopped by a meat grinder or a chopping knife. A common type of ground meat is ground beef, but many other types of meats are prepared in a similar fashion, including pork, veal, lamb, goat meat, and poultry.
The first recipe for bobotie appeared in a Dutch cookbook in 1609. Afterwards, it was taken to South Africa and adopted by the Cape Malay community. It is also made with curry powder, leaving it with a slight "tang". It is often served with sambal.
The bobotie will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days when stored in an airtight container. Reheat in the oven at 180C/356F/gas mark 4 for about 20 minutes or until heated through. You can also heat the Bobotie in the microwave. It freezes really well and can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Bobotie is a classic South African dish of spiced mince baked with a turmeric custard top. Serve with chutney, yellow rice or naan bread for a delicious meal packed with Cape flavours.
In South Africa, bobotie was adopted and adapted by the Cape Malay community – many of whom were slaves and labourers with roots in modern-day Indonesia – with the addition of curry powder, as well as the spices typically being transported by the Dutch East India Company from Indonesia to the Netherlands.
Bobotie is a baked mincemeat dish and one of the more recognizable foods to come out of South Africa. It's commonly believed that Bobotie was first derived from the Javanese dish Botok, as Dutch colonists brought the dish to South Africa from their settlements in Indonesia (née Dutch East Indies) in the 17th century.
This dish has a delightful taste, and it also includes turmeric, curry, and sometimes almonds. Eating bobotie helps in fighting disease, increases immunity in the body system, and helps reduce inflammation. It also provides necessary iron and protein, which helps your organs and muscles function at maximum capacity.
Another dish thought to have been brought to South Africa by Asian settlers, bobotie is now the national dish of the country and cooked in many homes and restaurants.
South African Bobotie is the beloved national dish. It is pronounced ba-boor-tea. A true comfort food always served with yellow rice called geelrys. The dish is a minced -curried meat casserole with a delicious egg custard topping.
South Africa's Most Important Dish Is Also Its Most Historical. Beyond its sweet, tangy, and spicy flavors, Bobotie is a dish that shares the storied history of South African immigrants in Cape Malay. In terms of gastronomical variety and quality, South Africa's a hard country to compete with.
There is more than one theory with regard to where the word 'bobotie' comes from. Some argue that the name comes from the Malayan word 'Boemboe', which translates to 'curry spices'. Yet others are of the opinion that it refers to the Indonesian 'bobotok' dish, which consists of meat with a custard topping.
Milk Tart. A South African classic, milk tart is a lovely option post-bobotie. This dessert features a sweet pastry crust filled with a creamy custard, lightly spiced with cinnamon. It provides a soothing counterbalance to the rich and potent spices of the main dish.
Biltong is a South African classic. It is air-cured meat immersed in vinegar and spices. Various types of meat are used to make biltong but it is most commonly made from beef because of its widespread availability and lower costs.
South Africa's Most Important Dish Is Also Its Most Historical. Beyond its sweet, tangy, and spicy flavors, Bobotie is a dish that shares the storied history of South African immigrants in Cape Malay. In terms of gastronomical variety and quality, South Africa's a hard country to compete with.
Bobotie. Another dish thought to have been brought to South Africa by Asian settlers, bobotie is now the national dish of the country and cooked in many homes and restaurants. Minced meat is simmered with spices, usually curry powder, herbs and dried fruit, then topped with a mixture of egg and milk and baked until set ...
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Prep time: 30 mins
