Savory Sausage Rolls

These mild English sausage rolls are a favorite in my family. The meat-filled pastries are served at afternoon tea, British meals, and as hors d'oeuvres. My husband enjoys eating them with pickled onions, dipped in English mustard and Worcestershire sauce, or smothered in chutney.

Sausage Rolls

FILLING:

1-1/4 lb. boneless pork loin, diced
1 apple, peeled and quartered
1 cup fresh white bread crumbs
2 tsp. rubbed sage
1//2 tsp. mace
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 egg, beaten with
1 tbsp. heavy cream

In a food processor, blend the pork until finely ground. Add the sliced apple and continue to blend. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until well-combined. Turn out onto a floured board and divide into two 20-inch sausage rolls.

PASTRY:

3 cups plain flour
1 tsp. salt
1 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp. milk
1 egg, beaten with
1 tbsp. milk

Sift the flour and salt in a large bowl. Rub in the sliced butter and shortening until mixture has a sandy texture. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, egg yolk, and milk. Add this to the flour and use a fork to form a soft dough. Shape the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Cut the pastry in two. Roll half the pastry into a 20x10-inch rectangle. Cut in half lengthwise to make 2 oblongs. Place a roll of pork fillings down the middle of each oblong. Brush the edges with egg wash and fold over to enclose the filling. Press and pinch the edges together.

Cut each roll in half and place all 4 rolls on a lightly greased baking sheet. Brush with egg and slice steam vents at 1-inch intervals. Repeat with the other half of the pastry. Bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve warm. Leftover rolls may be frozen for future use. My recipe comes from The Great Tea Rooms of Britain, by Bruce Richardson.

Note: I slice my sausage rolls into approximately 4-inch lengths.

Have you sampled Sausage Rolls or made them yourself?

Cheers,

Deb