Sausage rolls are very popular over here in the UK. You will see them for sale in all of the bake shops and cafes and of course at most pot lucks/parties, etc. there is usually the obligatory tray of sausage rolls to feast on. People really like them. Myself, I am not overly fond of shop bought sausage rolls. There's usually a too high pastry to sausage meat ration on them, and more often than not they seem to use cheap and nasty sausage meat in them. I can't abide cheap and nasty sausage meat! It's pasty and fatty and just ugh . . .
That's not a problem when you make your own Sausage Rolls however! You can make sure that there is more meat than pastry, and you can make sure that the meat used is quality! I first had these at my friend Joy's about ten years ago when Todd and I popped down to South Wales for a weekend visit. Joy had made these for lunch and they were absolutely fabulous!
Delicious and meaty with just the right proportions of meat and pasty, they are also very easy to make. Probably a lot easier than you think . . . especially if you use ready made puff pastry!
You simply mix raw sausage meat (removed from the casings) with some chopped onion, bread crumbs and an egg. You will want to use a nice spicy sausage, or at least I do. Cumberland are my favourite! Then once you have the meat mixed together, you just shape the mixture into logs, roll it up in the pastry, cut, glaze and bake in the oven. Easy peasy!
The egg glaze gives them a really lovely color. They are great served warm or cold or at room temperature, which makes them perfect for parties, or for picnics or even to pop into lunch boxes. They also free very well.
I hope you will give them a go! If you want to really make sure you have a lovely flavoured sausage meat, why not make your own? I tell you how here. It's really simple.
*Joy's Sausage Rolls*Makes a dozen Printable Recipe
This is my friend Joy's recipe for sausage rolls. My husband and I first had them when we visited Joy and her lovely husband Simon about 10 years or so ago now. They were delicious and I just had to have the recipe! Simple to make also. Great hot or cold, which makes them perfect for picnics and school lunches!
500g sausage meat,coarse ground (a generous pound)1 large onion,peeled and finely chopped1 large free range egg, beaten and divided90g of fine dry bread crumbs (3/4 cup)salt and pepper to taste500g of ready made ready roll puff pastry (a generous pound)
Preheat the oven to 220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7. Line a large baking tray with baking parchment.Place the sausage meat in a bowl. Add 1/2 of the beaten egg, the onions and the bread crumbs. Mix well together with your hands to combine.
Roll the pastry out just a tiny bit thinner than it comes out of the package. Cut into three equal strips, crosswise. Divide the sausage meat into thirds. Shape each third into a log the length of the strip of pastry, by rolling it between your hands a bit. Place it down the center of the pastry strip. Brush one long edge of each pastry strip with some of the remaining beaten egg. Roll the pastry up over the meat to cover, allowing it to overlap. Press gently closed, turn over and flatten slightly with your hands. Cut each strip into four evenly sized pieces. Place them evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops with the remaining beaten egg and then snip a couple of times with a pair of kitchen scissors to vent.
Cook in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Delicious!
