Wish we could talk in person about these ahmazing party sausage rolls. We made them today for the Quick and Easy Seasonal Tuesday series over on Instagram stories. Tasty, delicious, winterish, puffy and mini are the first things that come to mind when I try to describe them in just a few words. Ingredients wise, the situation is this:
How to make sausage rolls from scratch?
Pork sausages - We used pork sausages, since this is a sausage rolls recipe. It's super easy to use them and easy to find them in any store. You can also use ground beef or minced pork.
Cranberries - Cranberries add the sweetness and tartness. They are currently in season and they add a lovely festive vibe to the dish. You can use Sultana raisins instead of cranberries if you are looking for a replacement.
Apples - Love, love, love the combination of apples and pork. Apples give this sausage dish freshness, juiciness and fruitiness. We don't reccomend leaving them out from this recipe, however, you can replace them with pears.
Eggs - They bind everything together.
Breadcrumbs - Make the sausage filling soft by holding the water and prevent the sogginess plus make the puff pastry crispier.
Puff pastry - The base. We choose puff pastry instead of for example phyllo pastry because the filling itself is thick, so we wanted the dough to be the opposite, light, crispy, fluffy and puffy.
Sesame seeds - Give a beautiful contrast lookwise and tastewise too. You can leave it out if you don't like sesame seeds or replace with a bagel mix or even cheese.
Can I make these sausage rolls ahead of time?
The answer is YES. You absolutely can. How good is that? These are perfect for whenever you are hosting a small or large gathering. You can make them up to a month ahead of time. Before cutting them on small bite-sized rolls, pop them in the freezer and then when you will expect guests, make them 30 minutes before serving. Simply cut on small sausage rolls, brush with eggwash, sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake. Then serve with your favorite sauce or dip.
What should I serve sausage rolls with?
Sausage rolls go great with barbecue sauce, mango chutney, cranberry sauce, ketchup, english mustard, dijon mustard, mayo, hollandaise sauce, as you can see, the possibilities are almost endless. If you find any new ideas, please share them in the comments below.
METHOD
-
Sausage meat
Peel the skin from the sausage and put the sausage meat to a large bowl. Add the sparkling water and an egg. Stir to combine, using a wooden spoon, until it all comes together.
-
Apple, Onion, Garlic and Cranberries
Place a skillet over medium - high heat. Add the olive oil, peeled and diced apple, diced onion, diced garlic cloves and chopped dried cranberries. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the brandy and light a fire using a blow torch, flambé the mixture. Remove from the heat and leave the mixture to cool completely before using next.
TipIf you don't want to flambé the mixture or if you don't have a blow torch, you can increase the heat, add the brandy and let the alcohol evaporate that way. -
Make the sausage filling
Add the cold apple mixture to the meat. Add the breadcrumbs and chopped herbs (sage and thyme). Season with salt and pepper. Place in the fridge for 20 minutes.
-
fill the puff pastry
Cut the puff pastry sheet in half lengthwise to create two tall rectangles. Divide the sausage mixture between two rectangles. Spread the sausage mixture in the middle of each rectangle, then fold the pastry dough over the mixture. Press the dough together to create a pocket and to get rid of any air bubbles. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place in the freezer for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 190 °C / 375 °F.
TipAt this point you can freeze the sausage rolls for up to a month, then use them when you have friends over, this way you will have a delicious homemade treat ready in 30 minutes. -
Bake and Serve
Brush the sausage rolls with egg wash, cut each roll onto small 4 cm / 2-inch rolls. Sprinkle with sesame seeds (we use a mixture of black and white sesame seeds to add some contrast). Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes at 190 °C / 375 °F. Remove from the oven and serve still warm or at room temperature with your favorite dips and sauces, for example homemade mayonnaise, barbecue sauce, cocktail sauce or any other. Enjoy.
