The Ultimate Braaibroodjie
Ingredients
- 4 slices white sandwich bread
- 80 g salted butter, softened
- 15 ml mayonnaise
- 150 g mature cheddar, grated
- 8 bocconcini balls, halved (or torn if larger)
- 1 ripe tomato, sliced thin, lightly salted, drained on paper towel for 5 minutes
- 1 small red onion, sliced into thin rings
- 30 ml chutney (Mrs Balls)
- 5 ml dijon mustard
- 1 handful fresh basil leaves
- black pepper, generous
- 1 pinch smoked paprika
Instructions
- 1
Mix the butter and mayonnaise together until combined — this is what gives you the deep golden crust on sandwich bread without it burning before the cheese melts. In a separate small bowl, mix the dijon mustard into the chutney.
- 2
Spread the butter-mayo mixture generously on one side of each slice, right to the edges — every corner, no dry spots. Flip two slices butter-side down on a board.
- 3
Layer on each base: half the grated cheddar first (to seal the bread against the wet ingredients), then a thin spread of the chutney-dijon, drained tomato slices, a generous grind of black pepper, red onion rings, basil leaves, bocconcini halves spread evenly, the remaining cheddar on top, and a pinch of smoked paprika. Place the top slice on, butter-mayo side facing up.
- 4
Press the assembled broodjie down firmly with your palm before it hits the heat. This compresses the layers so it doesn't fall apart, and helps the bocconcini make contact with the cheddar so everything melts into one molten layer.
Tip: This step is especially important with sandwich bread — don't skip it.
- 5
On the braai: place in a hinged toaster grid over medium-low coals — sandwich bread burns faster than farmhouse, so go gentler than usual. Cook 3 minutes per side, watching closely, and press down with the grid each time you flip. In a pan: cook in a heavy pan on medium-low heat with the lid on, 3–4 minutes per side, pressing down with another pan on top. The lid is non-negotiable — bocconcini holds more moisture than cheddar and needs the trapped heat to melt properly.
- 6
Rest for 1 minute, then cut on a diagonal and serve immediately.
Tip: The bocconcini gives you that long mozzarella stretch when you pull the halves apart — that's your reel shot if you're filming.
Notes & Tips
Braai tips
Use a hinged toaster grid over medium-low coals. Sandwich bread burns faster than farmhouse loaf, so go gentler than usual — 3 minutes per side, watching closely. Press down with the grid each time you flip.
Pan method
Heavy pan on medium-low, lid on. Cook 3–4 minutes per side, pressing down with another pan. The lid is non-negotiable — bocconcini holds more moisture than cheddar so it needs the trapped heat to melt properly.
Lazy upgrades
Try caramelised onion instead of raw (10 min in butter with a pinch of sugar) — worth the extra effort. Crispy bacon between the cheese layers is another great addition. A drizzle of honey just on top of the bocconcini before closing creates a sweet-savoury combination that works ridiculously well.