Tomato Bredie Lasagna Bake

Description

Layers of lasagna sheets alternate with a slow-simmered tomato bredie of beef bits, fresh tomatoes, onions, garlic, and coconut milk for creamy richness, finished with an egg custard topping reminiscent of bobotie. Baked until bubbly, this oven dish blends Cape Malay stew with Japanese baked pasta comfort in roughly 1 hour.

Cultural Background

Tomato bredie is a traditional Cape Malay stew from South Africa with roots in the 1600s when Malays were brought to the Cape as slaves, blending Malay, Indonesian, and Dutch cooking traditions using tomatoes, onions, and spices for a gently spiced mutton or beef dish. Bobotie, another Cape Malay classic, features a signature egg custard topping that adds creamy contrast. This fusion adapts those techniques with Japanese pantry staples like miso and shiitake for umami depth, reflecting the user's Afrikaner upbringing in South Africa now living in Japan where local ingredients substitute in familiar stews.

Recipe Info

PREP TIME: 20 minutes
COOK TIME: 55 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 75 minutes
SERVINGS: 6
DIFFICULTY: Medium

Ingredients

• Bredie filling
• 500 g chopped beef bits
• 2 large onions, finely chopped
• 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 4 fresh whole tomatoes, chopped
• 1 can (400 g) tomatoes
• 1 can (400 ml) coconut milk
• 2 tbsp dark miso
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp sweet-chilli sauce
• 1 tsp beef stock powder
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
• 100 g frozen chopped shiitake mushrooms
• 100 g mixed vegetables or whole green beans, chopped
• Lasagna assembly
• 200 g lasagna sheets (about 9-12 sheets)
• 2 thick 10-15 cm beef sausages, sliced (optional for extra flavor)
• Egg custard topping
• 3 eggs
• 200 ml canned coconut milk (reserved from bredie or additional)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Pinch black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). In a large pot or deep pan over medium heat, brown the chopped beef bits for 5-7 minutes until seared, adding sliced beef sausages if using. Remove and set aside.
2. In the same pot, sauté onions for 5 minutes until softened, then add minced garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in dark miso, oyster sauce, sweet-chilli sauce, beef stock powder, honey, black pepper, white pepper, and salt.
3. Add chopped fresh tomatoes, canned tomatoes, frozen shiitake mushrooms, mixed vegetables or green beans, and return beef to the pot. Pour in most of the coconut milk (reserve 200 ml for custard), stir well, and simmer covered on low for 20-25 minutes until beef is tender and sauce thickens, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasoning.
4. Meanwhile, cook lasagna sheets in boiling salted water for 8-10 minutes until al dente, then drain and set aside. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch (23x33 cm) baking dish.
5. Assemble: Spread a thin layer of bredie on the bottom of the dish. Layer 3-4 lasagna sheets, then half the remaining bredie. Repeat with another layer of sheets and bredie. Top with final layer of sheets.
6. Whisk eggs with reserved 200 ml coconut milk, salt, and pepper until smooth. Pour evenly over the top layer of lasagna sheets.
7. Bake uncovered at 180°C (350°F) for 25-30 minutes until the custard is set, top is golden and bubbly, and edges are crisp. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Tips

- Simmer the bredie low and slow to develop deep flavors without drying out; add a splash of water if it thickens too much.
- Avoid overcooking lasagna sheets initially as they continue to soften in the oven.
- Substitute frozen garlic scapes for fresh garlic or add a dash of Korean stirfry sauce for extra savory notes if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 520
Protein: 32 g
Carbs: 45 g
Fat: 24 g

Tags

South African, Japanese