The topping of a dish is often what provides texture and we all know that a plate of food is always elevated with good texture. Think the gratinated top of macaroni cheese or the crisp puff pastry of your favourite pie. Whether it’s chewy, crunchy or fluffy, texture is where it’s at. We took inspiration from this concept and created four dishes that are ready for your next family gathering or dinner party and focused on giving them something fabulous on top!

The topping of a dish is often what provides texture and we all know that a plate of food is always elevated with good texture.

Each dish has been paired with a wine from La Motte heritage wine estate in Franschhoek. We just know your guests will love these thoughtfully curated food and wine pairings.

Top Notch Dishes Paired with La Motte Wines

To get you inspired to get into the kitchen, we’ve got golden pastry with airy layers of flakey crispness, a soft and fluffy cornbread topped beef short rib pot, layers of crunchy phyllo pastry encasing an aromatic lamb filling and the pièce de résistance, a white choc mousse with salted caramel popcorn crunch on top. We haven’t forgotten about the all important fillings either, we’ve packed in loads of flavour and nuance. Your biggest challenge is going to be picking what to make!

Creamy Malay Chicken Curry Pie

Regular chicken pie gets a Cape-inspired makeover with an aromatically spiced Malay curry filling. Warm spices like cumin, turmeric and garam masala come together with creamy coconut milk to form a rich and fragrant sauce that’s steeped in flavour. The secret to a good pie lies in perfect pastry and this puffed topping is just that – buttery and crisp and just a delight to eat. Slivers of dried apricots add an unexpected element of sweetness that round out this delicious winter dish.

Pair with: La Motte Millennium 2019, a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. This wine displays notes of raspberry, mulberry fruit and cinnamon spice, the ideal complement to this pie. While we often think white wine with chicken, the creamy sauce and rich pastry of this dish are well matched with this complex yet subtle wine. Click here to buy this wine.

Recipe for Creamy Malay Chicken Curry Pie

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Beef Short Rib Pie with Mielie Bread Topping

We’ve combined two of our favourite things in this dish, fall-apart-tender beef short ribs and soft and fluffy mielie bread. Instead of serving slices of mielie bread to accompany this dish, we’ve baked it right on top. The result is warm bread, straight out of the oven, atop a saucy beef rib filling, which soaks into the bottom of the bread. No need to mop up that plate with chunks of bread, we’ve done the leg work for you.

Our secret serving suggestion is to portion it out and top with a knob of butter on the bread – melty, buttery mielie bread and saucy beef goodness – this is on course to become a treasured family favourite.

Pair with: La Motte Cabernet Sauvignon 2019. This wine was made to be enjoyed with red meat so, it is a no brainer served with this divine winter dish – a match made in food & wine heaven. With its elegant minerality and typical characteristics like berry and plum flavours it is the perfect partner. Click here to buy this wine.

Recipe for Beef Short Rib Pie with Mielie Bread Topping

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Moroccan-spiced Lamb Mince Phyllo Pie with Dried Fruit Compote

Lamb is undeniably a South African favourite and it also marries really well with spices and aromatics of Moroccan cuisine. In this phyllo pie, we bring those concepts together to create a dish that not only looks beautiful presented at a dinner party with friends, but will also transport you to the souks of Marrakech! To balance it, we’ve made a quick compote of sweet raisins and sultanas that round out the flavours, which are slightly reminiscent of a classic bobotie. Crunchy layers of phyllo encase this delicious filling — a mouthful of savoury mince topped with a dollop of sweet compote is heavenly.

Pair with: La Motte Pierneef Syrah-Viognier 2018. The structure of this red-white blend lends itself beautifully to pairing with food. The spicy notes of the Syrah component are matched by the flavours of the Moroccan-spiced mince filling, while the Viognier brings a subtle floral element to the pairing. Click here to buy this wine.

Recipe for Moroccan-spiced Lamb Mince Phyllo Pie with Dried Fruit Compote

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White Chocolate Mousse with Salted Caramel Popcorn

Ending off dinner with a sweet treat will never go out of style. These over-the-top mousse cups, topped with crunchy homemade salted caramel popcorn will delight your taste buds. White chocolate can be notoriously sweet, so it’s important to splurge on good quality chocolate to ensure that the dessert is balanced. Also, be brave and take your caramel to the edge for a hint of satisfying bitterness. A sprinkle of salt, with crunchy caramel and silky smooth mousse is a dreamy finish to a fab meal.

Pair with: This mousse was made for Chardonnay, which offsets the creaminess to perfection. Pair with La Motte’s 2020 Chardonnay – a chilled glass served with this dessert will make for happy guests all around the table. Click here to buy this wine.

Recipe for White Chocolate Mousse with Salted Caramel Popcorn

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