6 classic South African dishes – with a twist

Mzansi is a melting pot of cultures and cuisines, with a variety of dishes that make us so proud to be South African. Chances are at some stage this month, you’ll be serving phutu with tamatiesmoor, firing up a T-bone on the braai or ending off a meal with a classic Peppermint Crisp tart. But this Heritage Day, give your guests something a little unexpected with one of our classic South African dishes – with a twist.

Vetkoek with biltong and cream cheese

Fancy vetkoek? Don’t mind if we do! If you thought that vetkoek was best stuffed with savoury mince, think again. Serve it with biltong sprinkle, cream cheese and green figs for a sophisticated twist on this local classic.

A little too out there for you? Take it down a notch and rustle up these feta-and-garlic vetkoek. We highly recommend serving them hot and oozing, dipped into the soup of your choice.

Get the vetkoek with biltong and cream cheese recipe here.
Prefer to keep things classic? Try this easy vetkoek recipe.

Samp-and-bean risotto

We’re not sure what we love more about this quick weeknight spin on samp and beans: the generous helping of Gorgonzola or the fact that, because it uses canned samp and beans, it takes only 20 minutes to make from start to finish. It beats stirring arborio rice any day of the week!

Get the samp-and-bean risotto recipe here.

For the classic dish, try this traditional samp-and-bean recipe.

Italian bean and smoked pork soup “bunny chow”

This is not your average bunny chow! Use a loaf of fresh sourdough bread rather than the standard half loaf and fill it to the brim with a hearty pork rasher-and-bean soup. Finish it off with a generous sprinkling of Parmesan.

Get the Italian bean and smoked pork soup “bunny chow” recipe here.
For the classic dish, try this lamb curry bunny chow.

Papizza

Yes, this is a pizza made from pap and, yes, we highly recommend you try it. Not only is it gluten free, it’s also significantly easier to make than rolling out your own dough. Pick and choose your own toppings at will.

Feeling particularly adventurous? Take pap to the next level with Siba Mtongana’s pap lasagne.

Get the papizza recipe here.
For the classic dish, try this stiff pap recipe.

Naartjie-and-cardamom milk tart

Move over ouma se melktert. This decadent twist hits all the right spots with its desiccated coconut crust and cardamom- and naartjie-infused filling. Finish it off with a candied citrus peel. This tart will undoubtedly be a talking point at your next braai.

Get the naartjie-and-cardamom milk tart recipe here.
For the classic dish, try this Ayrshire milk tart recipe.

Sweet potato malva pudding with nut brittle

Yes, you read that correctly: sweet potato forms the bulk of this classic South African pudding. Food editor Abigail Donnelly calls this the love child of a traditional malva pudding and an American sweet potato pie. Sounds like a match made in heaven, right?

Get the sweet potato malva pudding with nut brittle recipe here.
For the classic dish, try this traditional malva pudding recipe.

Browse more South African recipes here.

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