sausage roll
There really isn’t much better than a pint and a freshly cooked sausage roll, in a homely pub, on a cold winters evening. Writing this in lockdown, with pubs having been shut for a fair few months now, I can’t help but get a little nostalgic about all those days when sausage rolls have beers and bar snacks were a familiar, and fairly regular, occurrence.
This recipe is for a hearty, meat focused sausage roll. The ratio is very much in the favour of the filling, but that’s just the way I like it. Depending on how much time you want to commit to making these guys, you can either make the pastry yourself or use a roll of puff pastry from the supermarket.
Eat them straight out of the oven, with a big spoon of mustard on the side and a beer in hand.
for the sausage roll
375g puff pastry (homemade or a pre-rolled sheet)
500g good quality pork mince
200g smoked streaky bacon (or lardons)
100g breadcrumbs
100ml whole milk
0.5 tbsp mixed herbs
0.5 tbsp sage
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 egg
salt & pepper
method
Start by preheating your oven to 180c.
Next, get your bacon or lardons (the fattier the better) and mince them up. You can do this by blending them for a few moments, or by running a sharp knife back and forth over them.
Soak your breadcrumbs on milk until they are moistened and the milk has been absorbed.
Add the breadcrumbs, minced bacon, pork mince, mixed herbs, sage, paprika and salt & pepper to a large bowl and mix by hand until everything is incorporated.
Next, get your puff pastry and lay it out on a lightly floured surface.
Roll your meat mix into a thick sausage shape and place about 2/3 of the way down the pastry.
Fold the larger side of the pastry over the top and give it a few squeezes to make sure it the meat is tightly wrapped.
Where the edges of. the pastry join, fold along the length in order to seal it shut, then use a fork to crimp the joint together.
Cut the log of sausage roll into 4-6 equal pieces, depending on how big you want each serving to be. You can also cook whole, and slice once cooked, if you fancy.
Give the egg a light whisk and brush all over the exposed pastry.
Bake for 45 minutes until the top is a lovely shade of gold.
Let cool just enough to be able to eat, but eat is as fresh out of the oven as you can. Add a spoon of mustard, brown sauce, or apple sauce, if that’s the type of thing you like.
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If you want to try something a little different, brush the inside of the pastry with apple sauce before wrapping around the meat. It creates a lovely sweet layer in between the pork and the pastry.
