Modern trends in baking and cooking are fun to follow, but going back to your roots brings a certain comfort and pleasure that is hard to beat. Many of us have grown up eating mosbolletjies, koeksisters, Hertzoggies and milk tart, bringing back memories of family occasions, church fêtes or Sunday afternoon teas.

Most of the recipes in this chapter have been handed down to me by my mom and the older generation. It is our duty to cherish and appreciate these recipes, and to make sure they are never forgotten.

For an ambitious entrepreneur, traditional fare is potentially very profitable – people long for these comfort treats and are prepared to pay for them. Often they are made with simple, affordable ingredients.

I have given some of the recipes a new twist, such as making samoosas with a traditional bobotie filling, taking a favourite milk tart filling to make jaffles, or making cupcakes with a traditional malva pudding recipe.

Bobotie samoosas

These addictive treats make fabulous snacks or starters, and are delicious with chutney and fresh coriander. They can be frozen before cooking.

(Makes about 50 samoosas/ see main photo)

Ingredients

20 ml sunflower oil

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

15 ml finely grated fresh ginger

1 chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

500 g lean beef mince

7.5 ml ground cumin

5 ml paprika

5 ml turmeric

2,5 ml ground cinnamon

30 ml chopped fresh coriander

30 ml chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

30 g raisins (optional)

30 ml chutney

Salt and black pepper to taste

30 ml dried breadcrumbs

1 egg yolk

50 samoosa wrappers

Water and enough flour to make a sticky paste, for sealing the samoosas

Sunflower oil, for deep frying

Method

Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium heat and sauté the onion, garlic, ginger and chilli until translucent.

Add the mince and stir-fry until cooked, then add all the spices, coriander, parsley, raisins (if using) and chutney.

Season with salt and pepper, and add the breadcrumbs.

Leave to cool and then mix in the egg yolk.

Separate the samoosa wrappers, keeping them covered with a damp cloth to prevent them from drying out.

Place one wrapper on a clean work surface and fold over one corner into a triangular shape. Turn over and add a spoonful of the mince mixture. Fold over the next corner and continue folding over until you have a triangular samoosa.

Use your finger to brush the edges with the water and flour paste, then fold over and seal the samoosas with more of the flour paste.

Heat the oil to 160 °C and deep-fry the samoosas in

batches until golden brown. Drain on paper towel.

Jaffles 

Christine Capendale’s milk tart jaffles. (Photo: Donna Lewis)

Ingredients 

500 ml milk

2 cinnamon sticks

Finely grated rind of ½ lemon

3 eggs

50 g (60 ml) white sugar

25 g (50 ml) cornflour

25 g (50 ml) cake flour

5 ml vanilla essence OR vanilla seeds from 1 pod

30 g butter

Cinnamon sugar, for rolling

Sliced bread and butter, for spreading

Method

The milk tart filling: Place the milk, cinnamon sticks and grated lemon rind in a saucepan on medium heat and bring to just below boiling point.

In a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs with the sugar, then add the cornflour and flour, and mix to a smooth paste.

Remove the cinnamon sticks and pour the hot milk into the egg mixture, stirring rapidly. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook, stirring continuously, until the mixture is thick and starting to boil.

Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla essence and butter. Set aside to cool.

The jaffles: Make the jaffles as described below, filled with a generous portion of the milk tart filling and roll in cinnamon sugar while still hot.

Use two slices of buttered bread for each jaffle.Spray the inside of the jaffle iron with non-stick cooking spray. Heat the jaffle iron on a gas burner, a regular gas stove or over a fire.

Place one slice of bread, buttered-side down, on a breadboard. Spoon the filling onto the bread and cover with the second slice of bread, buttered-side up.

Place inside the warm jaffle iron, close and trim off the excess crusts. Cook each side for the same amount of time to get even grid marks. 

Variations: Use the bobotie samoosa filling in the cookbook and leave out the egg yolk; Steak strips with caramelised onion and peppers; Chicken mayo; Apple pie filling. DM/TGIFood