Hi Guys, I need help please! I work with a fellow who's a bit of a foodie, and says (a little tongue in cheek) that he cooks better than any woman, apart from Nigella or Maggie (Beer)!!
We do a fund raiser for the Aussie Cancer Council Biggest Morning Tea every year, and this time he and I are going to both make sausage rolls and get our colleagues to judge them, He rates his sausage rolls very highly (and I've had them - they're not bad), but I really want to beat him - and I'm not a competitive sort normally! Has anyone got an absolute killer recipe please? I've seen Helen's recipe for pork and prune ones here and they sound delicious, but I'm open to suggestions. Should I make my own pastry? I haven't made it for years but used to be able to make a reasonable flaky one.
We're doing it on May 25 so that gives me this weekend and next. Thanks.

Definitely make your own pastry, and use really top butter if you have access to it - Lewis Road or Whitestone or Lurpak.

In the filling you need as much umami as possible. Add a small quantity of light soy sauce or fish sauce - say a teaspoonful in 500g of meat. It won't taste oriental but will boost the umami. Otherwise some tomato paste, say two teaspoonsful, will help.

to each 400gr Hellers sausage meat, add 1 large finely diced and sautéed onion with lots of crushed garlic, fresh shredded sage leaves, two finely grated carrots and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Pan fry a small patty to check for seasoning. No added salt normally needed. Combine well and divide into 6- 8 equal portions. I cheat and use the ready rolled square sheets of puff pastry, cut in half and rolled up sushi style. Chill in freezer until they can be cut without all the filling squishing out. I usually freeze them as rolls and take them out as needed. By the time the oven has heated to 200c I can cut through the rolls and prick the tops with a fork. Brush with beaten egg before baking until golden brown 30 - 45 minutes

I love sausage rolls, but I don't think I've ever made them!

Delias vegetarian ones are so.... Good, would make a great twist on the challenge!
[www.deliaonline.com]

A firm fav in our house

Hi Heather, I know in Australia you have access to great butter puff pastry so I would buy it not make it.

For the filling I would buy quality artisan butcher pork sausages and squeeze the sausage meat from the casings.
I would then mix in breadcrumbs, mashed potato or rice and finely chopped cooked onion with a herb of choice.
A squirt of homemade tomato sauce or something similar as well.
Brush pastry with egg and sprinkle with fennel seeds or dukkah - just make sure it doesn't burn.

The most memorable ones I have had were made had melt-in-the-mouth pastry, it was either a very good butter puff pastry or it may have even been a few layers of filo pastry. On the top they had a sprinkling of cheese. I'd like to say I made them, but they were from a café that did their own baking.

If I make them at home I add a liittle of very finely chopped onion, grated carrot and chopped parsley. I also add a dash of worcestershire or tomato sauce to the sausage mix filling.

Hi - my mother's recipe for sausage rolls used pork sausage meat with a finely chopped onion and granny smith apple, and lots of sage. They were very morish!
Good luck.

Thanks everyone - all great suggestions. Helen - I did make the pork and prune ones but found that the 'juice' from the prunes oozed out and made the bottoms soggy. The prunes were very soft 'eating' ones so I think I should have looked for ones that were a bit firmer. I turned the rolls upside down and put them back in the oven and that crisped them up.
I'll report back after we've done the 'sausage roll off' in a couple of weeks

Heather, I have a recipe (which I haven't tried yet) by Chelsea Winter for Chicken and Herb sausage rolls. I cut it out of a recent Skywatch magazine - I don't know which issue, sorry. The recipe sounds lovely and the picture is mouthwatering! If you're interested I'd be happy to PM it to you.

I wish I was the judge - I love a good sausage roll.
How about making your own tomato sauce as well, give it a punchy kick with a touch of spice and serve it in your own funky bottles.
#winner

Yes pls Mommamurf - planning a practice this weekend. They sound yummy!

I'll type it out and send it tomorrow, Heather.

Hi All, I made the sausage rolls from Mommamurf's recipe she PM'd - chicken & herb, and they were absolutely delicious! I've attached a pic. The dark bits on the baking paper is where the juice from the apple caught but the bottoms of the rolls were just fine.
Mommamurf - could you put a link to the recipe up pls? I'm sure some FL would love these.
The only things I did a little differently to the recipe was I used fresh tarragon as I had that, and I also squeezed the zucchini and apple after grating them to get rid of the juice (though obviously not enough with the apple lol), and I just did the egg wash on the tops. The lemon zest really gave them a lift. I didn't make my own pastry either - was a bit short of time.
Many thanks MM - instant favourite!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/17/2015 02:28AM by Heather F.

They look lovely, Heather. I just wish I was there to help you to eat them.

Heather, I'm so pleased that they worked out so well! I haven't tried them myself yet, but will certainly do so when some of the family come to stay next weekend. Because I cut out the recipe from the Sky magazine, I typed a copy in order to PM it to you, as I didn't have a link to send you and wouldn't have known how to do that, anyway. However, I've just now looked on Google and it's there on the SkyTV website. If someone can tell me how to copy and send the link, I'm happy to do that. Or, if someone can find it on the website and do it instead of me. Or - I'm wondering, if it's freely available on the internet anyway, is there any copyright reason why I can't simply copy my typed version to this thread?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/17/2015 06:06AM by mommamurf.

Here is the link [www.skytv.co.nz]

Thanks, PennyG!

Just wanted to report back on our 'sausage roll off' on Monday. Our colleagues very diplomatically called it a draw, though of course I think mine were the best lol! Many thanks again Mommamurf - definitely a firm fav recipe.
And Margaret - you would have been most welcome, though on Monday as the ppl I work with are all pretty 'good on the tooth" you would have had to have been very speedy!
Thanks again everyone for the help.
(and PS: I did tell my colleague who says he cooks better than any woman apart from Maggie and Nigella that his lacked seasoning - and then stood back and watched the fireworks haha).

Thanks for the sausage roll recipe - my kids LOVE the pork and fennel ones they have at Columbus cafe in Mitre 10 Wairau Park. They are large, lots of filling and its flavoursome and moist.
Im going to give the chicken ones ago, Im assuming the addition of apple and courgette helps keep these one moist. The look great.
Vanessa