Gatsby Sandwich

The story

The Gatsby emerged in Cape Town in the 1970s as an oversized bread roll filled with chips and meat or seafood, made to feed several people economically. The dish is recognised for Cape Town sharing sandwich. Its success depends on preserving the intended contrast of texture, seasoning and temperature, so the defining ingredient remains clear rather than being buried by garnish or sauce. It is a defining Cape Flats sharing food, usually cut into portions and eaten communally.

Ingredients

• Bread
• 1 piece white bread loaf or long rollhollowed or split · 1 piece white bread loaf or long roll, hollowed or split
• Filling
• 500 g hot chipsfreshly fried · 500 g hot chips, freshly fried
• 350 g masala steak or polonythinly sliced · 350 g masala steak or polony, thinly sliced
• 120 g cheddar cheesesliced · 120 g cheddar cheese, sliced
• 4 piece eggfried, optional · 4 piece egg, fried, optional
• Finish
• 80 g lettuceshredded · 80 g lettuce, shredded
• Sauce
• 80 g achar80 g achar
• 60 g tomato sauce60 g tomato sauce

Method

1. Prepare the bread

   Cut the quarter loaf or long roll neatly. Hollow only enough bread to hold the filling, keeping the base strong.

   Look for: Bread has a firm shell and soft removed centre Tip: Save the soft bread as the lid. Avoid: Do not cut through the base.

2. Cook the hot filling

   Fry chips until crisp and cook steak, polony or egg in a hot pan. Season while hot.

   Look for: Crisp chips and browned meat Tip: Hot chips are the structure of the filling. Avoid: Do not build the sandwich with cold chips.

3. Layer with logic

   Add achar or sauce first, then chips, meat, cheese, egg and shredded lettuce.

   Look for: Even layers in every bite Tip: Put cheese near hot chips so it softens. Avoid: Do not put wet sauce directly against delicate lettuce.

4. Press and cut

   Press gently, cut into portions for a Gatsby, or cap the kota with the saved bread.

   Look for: Compact but not crushed Tip: Wrap briefly in paper for takeaway feel. Avoid: Do not squash until sauces leak out.

5. Serve immediately

   Serve while chips are hot with extra sauce.

   Look for: Hot, generous and easy to hold Tip: This is best eaten straight away. Avoid: Do not hold for long.

Nutrition

per serving

Approximate values for recipe content display; will vary by exact brands, fat level, serving size and accompaniments.