A Gatsby is a South African submarine sandwich consisting of a bread roll filled with chips (French Fries) and a choice of fillings and sauces. It originated in Cape Town and is popular throughout the Western Cape province. The sandwich is typically large and shared by several people.
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Ways to Make a Gatsby Sandwich
There are lots of variations on this recipe using beef, pork, chicken, and an assortment of different cold cuts. The fillings are usually lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers. Also, there is a wide range of sauces used ranging from ketchup, piri piri sauce (hot sauce), and mayonnaise.
How to Store Your Gatsby Sandwich
To store your sandwich without leaving it soggy, wrap it in parchment paper or waxed paper. You can also tightly wrap the sandwich in plastic wrap to keep loose ingredients together.
History of the Gatsby Sandwich
The Gatsby sandwich recipe originated in 1976 in the Cape Flats area of Cape Town. Food shop owner Rashaad Pandy wanted to serve a quick but filling meal to workers helping him renovate his store. He filled a large round loaf with “slap chips” (South-African-style chips with vinegar), polony sausage, and achaar and cut this into wedges.
“Froggy”, one of the workers, declared the sandwich a “Gatsby smash”, alluding to the movie The Great Gatsby which had been screened at an Athlone cinema. The name stuck and Pandy subsequently offered the sandwich in his shop.
The Metropolitan City of Cape Town, South Africa
Cape Town is a port city on South Africa’s southwest coast, on a peninsula beneath the imposing Table Mountain. Slowly rotating cable cars climb to the mountain’s flat top, from which there are sweeping views of the city, the busy harbor, and boats heading for Robben Island, the notorious prison that once held Nelson Mandela, which is now a living museum.
A Brief History of Cape Town
The Cape of Good Hope has been occupied for about 15,000 years. In 1652 the Dutch established a port city at the Cape of Good Hope and in 1773 the British established a foothold and named the city Cape Town. The city traded hands between the Dutch and British until 1814 when it was permanently ceded to the British.
Tourism in Cape Town
The port city of Cape Town is a melting pot of cultures, cuisines, and landscapes. The beautiful metropolis is crowned by the magnificent Table Mountain National Park.
From flat-topped Table Mountain down to the blue waters of Table Bay, Cape Town is simply stunning, but the city doesn’t thrive by its looks alone. It’s a multicultural city with a flourishing arts district, dining, and nightlife scenes that are proof of this modern metropolis’ creativity, lifestyle, and innovative spirit.
South Africa Cuisine
South African cuisine reflects the diverse range of culinary traditions embodied by the various communities that inhabit the country. Among the indigenous peoples of South Africa.
South Africa has a significant “eating out” culture. Some restaurants that specialize in traditional South African dishes or modern interpretations, restaurants featuring other cuisines such as Moroccan, Chinese, West African, Congolese, and Japanese can be found.
– Featured Restaraunt –
Cosy Corner
119 Ottery Rd, Wynberg
Cape Town, 7824, South Africa
Telephone: +27-21-797-2498
Established in 1973, Cosy Corner was one of Cape Town’s first Halaal eateries and remains one of its most popular.
Cosy Corner is a family business with a history. Locals will tell you about the part Cosy Corner played in the apartheid struggle, but it also features in many more personal and romantic stories – of engagements, family reunions, and birthdays. New generations of Capetonians and visitors continue to support the establishment that will become part of their nostalgia.
Cosy Corner is open all day and until 2 am at night. A trip to Cape Town isn’t complete without a visit.
How to Make a Gatsby Sandwich
The sandwich is typically large and shared by several people. This is a big sandwich so make sure you have enough people to eat it.
Organization is the key to success with this recipe. Cook the fries first then fry the eggs and toast the bread. If you are good, everything will be hot when you assemble the sandwich.
What You Need to Make a Gatsby Sandwich
Equipment:
- 1 Knife
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 12 Inch Skillet
Ingredients:
- 2 cups thick-cut French fries
- 1 French Baguette split and toasted
- 1 tbsp canola oil
- 4 eggs
- ketchup
- 1 tomatoes sliced
- 1 cucumbers sliced
- ¼ yellow onion sliced
- 6 oz roast beef deli meat or another type of meat
- 4 slices American cheese
- ½ cup iceberg lettuce shredded
How to Prepare a Gatsby Sandwich
Time needed: 25 minutes.
How to make the Gatsby Sandwich
- Preheat the Oven
Preheat the oven to 400 f.
- Cook the Fries
Cook the french fries in the oven for 20 minutes or until done. Remove and set aside for later use.
- Toast the Bread
Five minutes before the fries are done cut the french bread lengthwise and put it into the oven to toast. Remove and set aside for later use.
- Cook the Eggs
In a skillet heat oil over medium heat, and cook the eggs to the desired doneness. Remove from skillet and set aside for later use.
- Assemble the Sandwich
Arrange the french fries on the bottom half, and then cover with the ketchup and hot sauce
- Add the Vegetables
Lay the tomato slices, onion slices, and cucumber slices on top of the fries.
- Fill with Meat
Lay the roast beef evenly across the top.
- Lay the Eggs
Lay the eggs, cheese, and top with lettuce then cover with the top half of the roll.
- Slice and Serve
Slice the sandwich into 4 even pieces and serve with a tropical smoothie.
Serve this sandwich hot with a nice cold tropical smoothie.
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The Gatsby Sandwich
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Equipment
- 1 Knife
Ingredients
- 2 cups thick-cut French fries
- 1 French Baguette split and toasted
- 1 tbsp canola oil
- 4 eggs
- ketchup
- 1 tomatoes sliced
- 1 cucumbers sliced
- ¼ yellow onion sliced
- 6 oz roast beef deli meat or another type of meat
- 4 slices American cheese
- ½ cup iceberg lettuce shredded
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 f.
- Cook the french fries in the oven for 20 minutes or until done. Remove and set aside for later use.2 cups thick-cut French fries
- Five minutes before the fries are done cut the french bread lengthwise and put it into the oven to toast. Remove and set aside for later use.1 French Baguette
- In a skillet heat oil over medium heat, and cook the eggs to the desired doneness. Remove from skillet and set aside for later use.1 tbsp canola oil, 4 eggs
- Arrange the french fries on the bottom half, and then cover with the ketchup and hot sauceketchup
- Lay the tomato slices, onion slices, and cucumber slices on top of the fries.1 tomatoes, 1 cucumbers, ¼ yellow onion
- Lay the roast beef evenly across the top.6 oz roast beef deli meat
- Lay the eggs, cheese, and top with lettuce then cover with the top half of the roll.4 slices American cheese, ½ cup iceberg lettuce
- Slice the sandwich into 4 even pieces and serve with a tropical smoothie.
Nutrition
Other Recipes That Go Well With a Gatsby Sandwich
Photo Credits:
- By Taste The World Cookbook – Copyright 2022 All rights reserved.
- By Cosy Corner – By https://www.facebook.com/cosycornercpt
- By Discott – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=94862405
- By A3alb – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35255699
- By SkyPixels – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=40397200
- By SkyPixels – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=40422317
- By SkyPixels – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=40407637
- By © Moheen Reeyad, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=71216369
