Can you smell that? It’s a braai on the go! Or perhaps if you’re overseas, it’s a case of wishful thinking. One of the things many expats miss about home when they relocate is the typical South African braai. But just because you’re no longer in SA, it doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy your favourite SA braai treats! You can create the essence of home by creating a braaipie in the South African way.
What braai treat makes you think fondly of home? For many, it’s boerewors on the braai and potato salad. For those who prefer to nibble and snack their way through a braai, the braai pie comes to mind as the ultimate treat. Of course, the process of making a braai pie can also be a social one, so gather your family and friends, get ready to bond, laugh, and have a great time while adding all the bits and pieces to your pastry.
Traditional South African braaipie usually consists of pastry, garlic, and butter. The result on the braai is a melty garlicky treat that even the strictest dieter simply cannot refuse. While a good old fashioned braai pie recipe is sure to hit the spot, we’d like to tantalise your tastebuds with a recipe that will have you enjoying a braai pie 4 ways! Yes, four taste sensations in one braai pie; what could be better? What an amazing South African braaipie twist, don’t you think?!
Now, we’re not talking about a regular mince braai pie or steak braai pie; we’re talking about a braai pie extravaganza! Of course, our braai pie recipe has a lot of mince, steak, cheese, and onion involved! We’ve sure got your attention now, so let’s jump right into making the reimagined South African braaipie.
Braaipie recipe
How to make the braaipie 4 ways in 1
To whip up this tasty treat, you need to gather a few goodies. This braai pie will be a collaboration of cheese and mince, spinach and feta, steak and onion with cheese, chicken, and mayo. If you’re already drooling and ready to get started, roll up your sleeves and get to work!
Here’s what you will need:
- 2 packets of puff pastry
- 2 tablespoons of melted butter
- 1 teaspoon of crushed garlic
For the Cheese and Mince Braaipie:
- ½ cup of grated gouda/cheddar cheese
- Mince, lightly fried and seasoned
For the Cheese, Onion and Steak Braaipie:
- ½ cup of grated gouda/cheddar cheese
- ½ and onion sliced
- Thin steak strips lightly fried
- 2 tablespoons of chutney
For the Spinach and Feta Braaipie:
- ¼ cup of cream cheese
- 1 handful of baby spinach chopped up
- 3 tablespoons of crumbled feta cheese
For the Chicken & Mayo Braaipie:
- 1 cup of shredded chicken combined with 2 tablespoons of mayo
- Fresh rocket chopped
What to Do:
All that’s left to do is bring all the ingredients together. It’s a lot simpler than you might think, and soon, once it’s sizzling away on the braai, you will be moments away from melty, cheesey, garlicky, yumminess.
- Using Spray & Cook or the equivalent, spray the braai grid generously on each side.
- Unroll one of the puff pastries onto the braai grid, and using a knife or your fork, gently imprint the pastry to create four separate divisions.
- Place each ingredient combination in each of the quarters. To ensure that the insides don’t ooze out, leave a 2cm space along the edging.
- First, start with the mince. Spread it into its quarter and top with grated cheese. Then, add the steak strips to the second quarter and top with onion slices and cheese. Thirdly, smear the cream cheese on the third quarter, top with spinach and then sprinkle the crumbled feta. Lastly, spread the shredded chicken and mayo into the fourth quarter.
- Sprinkle salt and pepper over all four quarters for a bit of added taste.
- Now, unroll the second roll of pastry over the top and, using a fork, press the edges down all around the pastry to create a pie crust effect.
- Brush the melted butter and crushed garlic onto the outer side of the pastry.
- Close the braai grid and place it over medium coals for around 15 minutes or until the pastry has cooked right through.
- When it’s cooked, remove the braaipie from the heat and allow it to cool before cutting it into squares.
Serve your braai pie with various sauces such as hot English mustard, mayo, mint or similar – everyone will gobble it up with enthusiasm!
Some great mains and side dishes that go well with braai pie include the following:
- Pork sosaties
- Potatoe salad
- Coleslaw
- Mielies
- Garlic butternut
These are just a few ideas – you will find that a braai pie typically pairs well with just about anything!
Get braaipie recipes and tax emigration help under one roof!
At FinGlobal, we have a good braaipie recipe up our sleeve, but we have more than that too. We specialise in tax and financial emigration and specifically extend our expert services to South African ex-pats worldwide. Whether you’re looking for advice on your tax obligations when leaving the country or need more guidance on how to acquire the funds in your retirement annuity, the team at FinGlobal are ready and willing to assist.
With ten years of experience behind us, we are confident that we’re just the team to help you. For help and guidance, all you have to do is contact us. You can give us a call on +27 28 312 2764 or email us at info@finglobal.com today.