This year, why not celebrate Heritage Day (September 24) with something other than the ubiquitous braai!
In recognition of the annual Porcupine Pizzeria Challenge, currently running until 31 October, here are six South African-inspired pizza recipes that celebrate our heritage and food culture in creative, tasty ways and which are guaranteed to surprise, delight and impress friends and family!
The Braai Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 pizza base (store-bought or homemade)
- ½ cup tomato paste or passata
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup cheddar cheese
- 100g boerewors, cooked and sliced
- 100g bacon, cooked and sliced
- 100g grilled steak or lamb, cooked and sliced
- ½ onion, caramelised
- ¼ cup peppadews, sliced
Optional: chakalaka sauce or BBQ sauce for drizzling
Instructions
Preheat oven to 220°C. Spread tomato paste over the pizza base. Sprinkle mozzarella and cheddar evenly over the base. Top with sliced boerewors, steak, caramelised onion, and peppadews. Bake for 12 – 15 minutes or until cheese has melted. Drizzle over chakalaka or BBQ sauce before serving (optional).
The Chakalaka Chicken Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 pizza base
- ¼ cup chakalaka (mild or hot), mixed with ¼ cup tomato sauce
- 1 cup shredded grilled chicken (seasoned with peri-peri or Cape Malay spice)
- ½ cup cooked sweetcorn
- ½ onion, sautéed
- ¼ cup sliced red peppers
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese
- Fresh coriander to garnish
Instructions
Preheat oven to 220°C. Spread chakalaka mix on the base. Add mozzarella, then layer chicken, sweetcorn, onions, and peppers. Bake for 12 – 15 minutes until golden. Garnish with coriander and serve hot.
The Bobotie Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 pizza base
- 2 tbsp Mrs Balls’ apricot chutney
- 1 cup bobotie-style curried mince
- ½ cup mozzarella
- ¼ cup crumbled feta
- 1 tbsp toasted almonds, sliced
Instructions
Preheat oven to 220°C. Spread chutney over base. Add mince, then cheese and almonds. Bake for 12 – 15 minutes. Serve warm with a side of atchar or sambals.
The Mzansi Veggie Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 pizza base
- ¼ cup butternut purée or beetroot hummus
- ½ cup roasted butternut cubes
- Handful baby spinach or morogo (blanched)
- ¼ cup mushrooms, sautéed
- ¼ cup feta cheese
- 2 tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds
Instructions
Preheat oven to 220°C. Spread butternut purée on the base. Layer veggies and sprinkle feta on top. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Top with pumpkin seeds and serve.
The Biltong and Blue Cheese Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 pizza base
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese
- 50g sliced biltong
- ¼ cup blue cheese, crumbled
- ½ onion, caramelised
- Handful rocket
Instructions
Preheat oven to 220°C. Brush base with olive oil and garlic. Add mozzarella, biltong, blue cheese and onions. Bake for 12 – 15 minutes. Top with rocket after baking. Serve immediately.
The Milk Tart Dessert Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 small pizza base or flatbread
- 1 tbsp melted butter
- ½ cup milk tart custard (pre-cooked)
- 1 tsp cinnamon sugar
- Syrup (koeksister-style) for drizzling
- Toasted coconut (optional)
Instructions
Pre-bake base for 5 minutes at 180°C. Brush with butter, then spread cooled custard over the base. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar and drizzle syrup. Top with coconut, slice and enjoy warm.
Now in its fifth year, the Porcupine Ridge Pizzeria Challenge sees the public voting for their favourite local pizzeria via a dedicated website. The restaurant with the most votes will be crowned South Africa’s favourite pizzeria, picking up the ultimate bragging rights as well as wine and marketing collateral to the value of R40 000. The top 10 restaurants will win R1,800 in vouchers plus three cases of wine to award to their top servers.
Consumers voting for their favourite venue can win a weekly prize of six bottles of Porcupine Ridge wines and EarthFire pizza accessories, with one voter selected Grand Prize Winner at the end of the competition and receiving an EarthFire Tabletop Pizza Oven, pizza for a year (to the value of R2 000) and five cases of Porcupine Ridge Wines, for a combined value of R10 000.
Voting closes at midnight on 31 October, with the top 10 announced in mid-November.
ALSO SEE: Bardelli’s clinches top spot in Porcupine Ridge Pizzeria Challenge
Bardelli’s clinches top spot in Porcupine Ridge Pizzeria Challenge
Images and text | Supplied
