Recipe: Sausage Rolls

Fresh from the oven: My Pork & Apple Sausage Rolls

When I moved to Australia in 1992, I was introduced to two Aussie legends: Acca Dacca (that’s AC/DC to you) and the sausage roll – in the same sentence! Out at a picnic, the revellers sang ACDC’s “It’s a long way to the top if you want to rock and roll” changing the lyrics to “It’s a long way to the top if you want a sausage roll…”

Who doesn’t love a good ol’ sausage roll? They’re perfect for picnics, parties and lunchboxes. I’ve made this recipe countless times and they always disappear in a flash.
Now, this recipe has a secret ingredient (well, not anymore!). Are you ready for it?
It is… APPLE!

Cooking apples (Granny Smiths) pair perfectly with pork. Come to think of it, so do fennel (seeds and bulb) and woody herbs like rosemary and thyme. Speaking of herbs, make sure that you’re generous with them!

Ingredients:
500g pork mince (or beef/chicken if you prefer)
1 onion or fennel bulb, finely diced
1 Granny Smith apple, finely diced
1/2 tsp sugar
1 inch piece of ginger, grated
1 clove garlic, finely minced
A few sprigs of rosemary and thyme, discard the stems and finely chop the leaves
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1 heaped tsp garam masala
1 tbsp barbecue sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

3 sheets of frozen puff pastry, thawed but still cold.
Egg wash made by beating 1 egg with 1 tbsp milk.
Poppy seeds/ sesame seeds/ herbs to garnish the rolls (optional).

Method:
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Line baking sheets with baking paper.

For the sausage filling
Heat some oil in a pan.
Add onions/fennel, apple, ginger and garlic. Sauté until golden.
Add the sugar. This will help caramelise this mixture to a golden brown.
Add fennel seeds, herbs, garam masala, barbecue sauce, salt and pepper.

Take off the stove and set aside to cool.
Add pork mince to the cooled ingredients and mix well with your hands.

To assemble
Take one sheet of puff pastry. Cut down the middle to get two rectangles.
Take one rectangle. Roll the mince mixture into a cylinder (like a sausage) and place down the middle of the puff pastry rectangle.
Using a pastry brush, dab some egg wash on both long edges.
Roll puff pastry to tightly enclose the mince.
Cut into 4-6 pieces (depending how big you want them to be).
Repeat with remaining puff pastry and mince filling.

Brush egg wash onto the top of all sausage rolls.
Sprinkle with either herbs or sesame/ poppy seeds.

Place onto baking sheets, with the puff pastry seam-side down.
Bake until golden brown (approx. 20-30 minutes).
Serve hot with a tasty relish or even just tomato ketchup.

Go on, grab one!

These sausage rolls can be made in advance and frozen.
When needed, defrost overnight to bring to room temperature.
Then place in a pre-heated oven at 140°C until heated through.

So tell me, what do your kids like eating for school lunches? Do you like snacking on finger foods? Do you often put fruit in savoury dishes?