Description
Hearty British Christmas Sausage Rolls delight with flaky pastry and savory seasoned meat. Rich flavors and festive traditions combine in this classic holiday appetizer you’ll savor with friends and family.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (450 g) ground sausage meat (pork or mix of pork and turkey)
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tsp dried sage or thyme
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¼ cup dried cranberries, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh breadcrumbs
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 sheet puff pastry (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 large egg, beaten (for egg wash)
- Sesame seeds or poppy seeds (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Mixture Preparation: Combine sausage meat with cranberries, breadcrumbs, finely chopped onion, minced garlic, sage, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Thoroughly blend ingredients to create a harmonious, well-seasoned filling that captures festive flavors.
- Pastry Setup: Preheat oven to 400F (200C). Lay parchment paper on baking sheet. Roll out puff pastry on a flour-dusted surface into a thin, uniform rectangle, ensuring an even thickness of approximately 1/8-inch.
- Assembly and Wrapping: Divide filling into two equal logs and position them along the pastry’s edge. Carefully fold pastry over the meat, using beaten egg as a sealing agent. Trim excess pastry to create clean, precise edges.
- Portioning and Finishing: Cut wrapped logs into 2-inch segments. Place rolls seam-side down on prepared baking sheet, maintaining consistent spacing. Lavishly brush pastry tops with egg wash and optionally sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds for added texture.
- Baking and Serving: Bake for 20-25 minutes until pastry achieves a rich golden-brown color and sausage reaches safe internal temperature. Remove from oven and rest on a wire rack for a few minutes. Serve alongside cranberry sauce or zesty mustard for an elegant appetizer.
Notes
- Adjust Meat Consistency: Ensure sausage meat is well-mixed but not overmixed to maintain a tender, juicy texture without becoming dense.
- Control Moisture Carefully: Drain cranberries thoroughly to prevent soggy pastry, using paper towels to remove excess liquid before incorporating into the filling.
- Perfect Pastry Technique: Roll puff pastry thinly and evenly, keeping it cold until just before use to achieve maximum flakiness and prevent shrinkage during baking.
- Customize for Dietary Needs: Substitute regular sausage with turkey or vegetarian sausage alternatives, and use gluten-free puff pastry for those with specific dietary restrictions.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg