Ah, summertime. Days filled with beach outings, road trips, warm firelit evenings with friends, and yes – a braai! And we all know a braai is not a braai without a braaibroodjie. We certainly can’t get enough of this savoury-sweet pre-meal snack.
Take your broodjie to the next level with these 5 delicious recipes and leave your guests wanting more:
1. The classic tomato, onion and Cheddar
Serves 4
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
4 tbsp butter
8 slices white bread
240 g cheddar, grated
1 tomato, sliced
1 onion, peeled and sliced
Salt and pepper
Method
- Butter both sides of each slice of bread.
- Sprinkle cheese evenly over 4 slices of bread. Top with the tomato and onion slices. Season with salt and pepper. Sandwich with the remaining bread.
- Toast on a grid over the coals until the cheese is melted or cook in a griddle pan or sandwich-maker.
2. Blue cheese with roast peaches and balsamic
Serves 4
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
4 tbsp butter
2 peaches, thickly sliced
8 slices white bread
80 g blue cheese
Balsamic glaze
Method
- Heat 2 tbsp butter in a pan. Add the peaches and cook until soft and golden.
- Butter bread on 1 side. Keeping the buttered sides facing down, cover 4 slices with peaches.
- Crumble the blue cheese over the peaches and drizzle with a balsamic glaze. Sandwich with the remaining bread.
- Toast on a grid over the coals until the cheese has melted.
Recipe & styling: Caro Alberts
Photography: Andreas Eiselen/HMimages.co.za
3, Spinach, garlic and feta braaibroodjies
Serves 4
Cooking time 15 minutes
Ingredients
2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tbsp butter
125 g spinach, thinly sliced
100 g feta, cubed
Salt and black pepper
4 hamburger rolls, halved
Method
- Fry the garlic in butter until it turns light brown in colour. Add the spinach and cook until wilted. Remove from heat and add the feta—season to taste.
- Spread the mixture on the rolls and sandwich them together.
- Toast on a grid over the coals until the cheese is melted.
Recipe & styling: Caro Alberts
Photography: Andreas Eiselen
4. Roast cherry tomato, pesto and mozzarella
Serves 4
Cooking time 30 minutes
Ingredients
1 cup cherry tomatoes
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 baguette, halved lengthways
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
¼ cup pesto
200 g mozzarella, sliced
Method
- Heat a pan until smoking hot. Add the tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes on each side, until slightly charred. Add the vinegar and season.
- Drizzle the baguette with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread with pesto, then cover with the mozzarella and the roast tomatoes. Sandwich the loaf together and wrap it in foil.
- Toast on a grid over the coals until the cheese is melted.
5. The sweet butterscotch, peanut brittle & Brie
Serves 4
Cooking time 1 hour
Ingredients
2 tbsp butter
½ cup brown sugar
⅓ cup cream
Pinch salt
125 g Brie, thickly sliced
8 slices white bread
50 g peanut brittle, chopped
Method
- Melt butter in a non-stick pan. Just before completely melted, add the sugar. Mix with a wooden spoon, stirring every minute or so.
- Once consistency changes from grainy to a smooth liquid, add the cream. Reduce the heat and cook for 10 minutes, whisking often.
- Remove from the heat and add the salt. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Arrange the Brie on 4 slices of bread. Pour over the butterscotch and then sprinkle with the peanut brittle. Sandwich with the remaining bread.
- Wrap each sandwich in foil and toast on a grid over the coals.
Recipe & styling: Caro Alberts
Photography: Andreas Eiselen / HMimages.co.za