If you like it then you better put some pastry on it

Sausage Rolls

I can’t think of anything involving pastry that I don’t like.  Pasties, pies, flans, tarts, turnovers, samosas, parcels – whatever you want to call them, I’ll eat it. 

So when Australia Day came around this week I thought why not combine my love of pastry with my love of mince and make sausage rolls?  I love those little suckers and yet (as with so many of my recipes on this blog) I had never thought to make them myself. 

So with a public holiday upon me I had no more excuses.  And the results? So simple and so tasty!  At the Australia Day picnic they were quickly consumed - along with some tasty salads, chicken, quiche, rocky road, watermelon, cheese, bread and loads of other good stuff.

Why not try your hand at these next time you’re hosting a BBQ as a nice little appetiser; have them for a lunchbox treat; or better yet as a midnight snack after a night out.  

Ingredients (makes about 12 small sausage rolls)

Filling

500g pork mince

1 onion, finely sliced

1 carrot, grated

1 zucchini, grated

1 handful of chopped fresh herbs (such as parsley, mint, or basil – or a combination of these) OR use 1 tsp of any of those herbs in dried form

Salt and pepper to taste

2-3 sheets of puff pastry, defrosted

1 egg, lightly beaten

Poppy or sesame seeds (optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 170°C and line two trays with baking paper

Place the mince, onion, carrot, zucchini, herbs, salt and pepper into a large bowl and mix with a wooden spoon.

Lay out the sheets of pastry and cut them in half so that you have two rectangles of equal size.

Spoon the mixture down the centre of the pastry (long-ways) so that the mix goes right to each end.  Be careful not to overstuff. 

Brush the egg down the right hand side of the pastry.  Pull the left side over the mixture and place the right hand side flat on top of that.  Smooth down the seam with your finger.  Cut into 4 pieces (or 2 if you want bigger ones) and then place seam down onto your trays, not too close together.

Brush the tops with the beaten egg and then sprinkle on poppy seeds or sesame seeds (if using – these are just for decoration) and bake in the oven for around 30 mins or until the tops are golden and crisp.

Notes – you can substitute almost anything in this recipe; for instance omit the onion and use fennel if you like it; use lamb mince and rosemary; or some beef mince and some horseradish would be nice.  

These freeze well in an airtight container (uncooked) and you just defrost them in the fridge overnight and then cook them in the oven as per the instructions above.