DECADENT: Pap pizza with corned beef and mushroom topping. DECADENT: Pap pizza with corned beef and mushroom topping.
HOW about a pap pizza decked with corned beef and mushrooms with generous sprinkles of gouda and mozzarella cheese in anticipation of the Cheese and Wine Festival taking place from April 25 to 27 at Sandringham in Stellenbosch?
After witnessing the judging of the 2015 Dairy Championships which took place earlier this year, with about 80 producers, I can’t help but want to support the industry.
According to the organisers of the event, Agri Expo, this year’s competition was the biggest since conception. Dairy products like cheese, dips, butter, ice cream, sour milk and yoghurts were all judged in their respective categories.
How high is the consumption of dairy products in an average South African home? Is it considered a luxury item? In traditional cuisine, sour milk, milk and cheeses like cheddar, gouda, feta and processed are usually popular – whether as part of a sandwich, baked dish, burger or a kota. Sour milk on the other hand is consumed largely in summer as it makes part of dishes such as Umphokoqo.
The judges and organisers were impressed with the quality of products, which makes me look forward to this year’s Cheese and Wine Festival.
This pap pizza is just one example of how cheese can be used in our households. It’s very simple, using minimal ingredients and of course our proudly South African cheese. Enjoy!
RECIPE
Serves: 6 – 8
750ml boiling water
500ml (2cups) quick cooking maize meal
½ chicken stock cube, crumbled
5ml (1tsp) butter
15ml (1Tbsp) oil, for frying
1 small onion, cut into strips
½ red pepper, cut into thin strips
300g (1 can) corned beef, broken into small chunks
Thick tomato sauce
5ml (1tsp) dried thyme
Gouda, grated
Mozzarella, grated
Rocket leaves
Method:
Preheat an oven to 190°C.
Add boiling water to a medium sized saucepan, gradually whisk in the maize meal.
When a paste is formed, use a wooden spoon to stir the pap. |Add butter and stock cube and mix until blended.
Prepare a shallow baking tray with a non-stick baking spray. Transfer the pap onto the tray smoothening the surface using a rubber spatula. |Add a bit of olive oil on the surface.
Ensure that the surface is level |and the pap reaches the corners.
Place the pap in the oven and |bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Start preparing the topping whilst the pap base is in the oven. In a saucepan, heat oil and sauté onion and red pepper.
Add mushrooms and corned beef. Continue cooking for a further 2 minutes.
Cover the cooked pap base with tomato sauce and layer with the corned beef mixture. Ensure that the whole base is covered.
Sprinkle with thyme followed by cheese.
Bake in the oven for another 15 minutes.
Take out of the oven and allow to cool down for about 5 minutes.
Garnish with rocket leaves and serve.
Pap Pizza with Corned Beef |and Mushroom Topping
DECADENT: Pap pizza with corned beef and mushroom topping.
l www.mzansistylecuisine.co.za