Bobotie

Tear the bread up so it fits into a small bowl and pour in the milk (you may need more, depending on the size of your bowl). Leave to soak, pushing every so often on the bread to make sure the milk soaks through.

Peel and chop the sweet potatoes into chunks, and boil on a low heat until soft (about 15 minutes).

Peel and chop the onion and garlic, and fry in the butter. Add one tablespoon of curry powder, reserving the rest until later, and continue frying until the onion is soft.

Add the mince to the pan and stir until it is browned all over. Add herbs, spices, the remaining tablespoon of curry powder if desired, and the bay leaves. If the mixture is too dry, add a little bit of water from the boiling potatoes. Season and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the pickle or chutney. Stir through, then add the raisins and (drained) potatoes to the meat mixture. Tip the bread with any residual milk out of its bowl into the pan, and stir again, mashing any larger chunks of bread with the side of a spoon. Season.

Lower the flame to its lowest setting and let everything sit while you prepare the topping.

Beat the eggs and the cream in a bowl with salt and pepper. Pour the filling into a deep dish, and pour the omelette over the top. Place your remaining bay leaves decoratively on top.

Bake at 200ºF (390ºF) for twenty minutes, and serve.