Potbrood

South Africa, the most geographically isolated country of the African continent, was, as they taught us in school, discovered by the Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias at the end of the 15th century, a century when Europe woke up and set out to conquer the world. Vasco da Gama, another Portuguese explorer, confirmed the discovery a few years later. The Boers were farmer colonists of Dutch, German and French origin. They progressively got a foothold on this land inhabited by the Bantus for a very long time, and founded the colony of Cap. They brought with them their beliefs, customs and way of life. The confrontation with the indigenous people of Cap did not go at all well. Nor did it go well with the new British colonial power, which encouraged the Boers to migrate towards the interior of the land and found two independent republics: the Transvaal Republic and the Orange Free State.

Dutch and French pioneers therefore prepared a pain in a pot, rather like Henri IV’s famous hen in a pot. This bread continues to exist along with a whole range of savory breads, such as boboti (meat bread), herb bread, mieliebrood (cornbread), etc., and therefore has the originality of being cooked over wood charcoal, in a closed pot, or today, over a braai, the local barbecue. Recipes vary and it is indeed difficult to summon up the original way of making it.

Whole-wheat flour, the equivalent of a can of beer, sunflower seeds and almond powder are kneaded together. The dough is put on a tea towel for a good hour. Before putting it in the pot, the top of the potbrood is notched and the slashes are garnished with a mixture of finely chopped onion, parsley, grated cheese and crushed hard-boiled egg. It is cooked in a pot, firmly held in place, over a charcoal fire for an hour, or a braai for 45 minutes.