Maize porridge pie (paptert)

Paptert (porridge pie) is a delicious modern addition to South African braaivleis (barbeque).
It's looks a little bit like a lasagne, but is made from maize porridge (mieliepap) and a very generous vegetable filling to ensure a rich, moist and admittedly decadent savoury tart. Leftovers will keeps well in the fridge until the following day, but should be served warm.
Ingredients
Porridge:
- 1.25 litres water
- About 2 1/2 cups (625 ml maize meal)
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt
- 1 tablespoon / knob of butter
Filling:
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- Olive oil to fry in
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 tin chopped tomato
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- About 2 tablespoons red wine (optional)
- 1 tin of sweet corn kernels (drained) or 1 1/3 cup frozen corn
- 125 gram bacon, diced
- ½ pack (125 gram) brown mushrooms, chopped
- 1 capsicum, chopped
- Fresh herbs, such as marjoram, thyme, oregano, parsley
- Salt and black pepper
- Chilli (optional)
- 2½ cups of grated cheese
- 3/4 cup (190 ml) to 1 cup (250 ml) cream
Method
- To make the porridge ("stywepap"), bring the water and salt to the boil. Add the mealie meal while mixing well.
- Cover with the lid, but stir from time to time.
- The consistency of this "stywe pap" should be stiff, but still spreadable, so you can add either boiling water or maize until the consistency is correct.
- Simmer for 30 minutes until done. Stir in the butter.
- Fry bacon. Remove from pan, drain on a paper kitchen towel and dice.
- Fry onion in olive oil. Add garlic and butter. Add capsicum, tomato, salt and black pepper, and let it simmer until soft.
- Add mushrooms and allow to soften.
- Add chopped cooked bacon and corn. The sauce needs to be juicy. Add herbs to taste, but take care so it doesn't dominate.
- Use a wooden spoon or silicon spatula to smooth half of the warm "pap" into a greased, medium sized ovenproof dish.
- Add half of the filling on top of the pap and sprinkle 1 cup of the grated cheese over.
- Spread the rest of the porridge, followed by the remainder of the filling and then the cheese.
- Pour cream over and bake for about an hour at 180°C until the tart is bubbling gently, and the cheese has browned.
Serve warm.