I could eat my weight in sausage rolls.

If I see sausage rolls at a party, I’ll make a beeline and scoff them without shame. I’m not the only one, there’s always others. I know who you are.

Sausage rolls are one of New Zealand’s most beloved foods. Golden puff pastry with a meaty filling, cut into bite-sized morsels and served with plenty of tomato sauce, sausage rolls appeared at all the childhood birthday parties I attended growing up. They are a comfort food and a party food for all generations. Sausage rolls can be eaten hot or cold making them equally good for winter nights or summer picnics which is why I’m submitting this post to Taste of Summer edition of Our Growing Edge this month.

I’ve been experimenting and perfecting this recipe using L’Authentique’s french grind. Made locally, L’Authentique sausages are made from free range meat and contain no fillers. Coming in a range of different flavours, I’ve made these sausage rolls at home using their Toulouse, Angus Beef, Pork & Fennel and Chicken & Bacon sausage meat. My favourite would be their Toulouse which is made from free range pork, free range bacon, fresh parsley, salt, garlic, spices and natural casings. If you want to be a bit more adventurous, try their chorizo which has a tiny kick. If you don’t have access to L’Authentique, just use a good quality, coarse grind sausage mix.

The Koala also loves sausage rolls so I’ve had enthusiastic help eating all these sausage roll experiments. I mean, what would I do with all these sausage rolls otherwise? Eat the evidence?

Too easy free range sausage rolls

Makes 16 or 24 sausage rolls

Ingredients

• 450g L’Authentique French Grind (or any good quality coarse grind sausage mix)
• 2 sheets puff pastry, thawed
• 1 egg yolk, beaten
• Sesame seeds
• To serve: tomato sauce or chutney, coleslaw, granny smith apple

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Cut each sheet of pastry in half lengthwise to make 4 rectangles
3. Divide the meat into quarters and squeeze each portion into a long, even sausage shape. Lay the sausages in the centre of each rectangle of pastry. Brush one edge with beaten egg yolk, roll up the pastry around the sausage so the seam is underneath and sealed with yolk as glue.
4. Cut each sausage roll into four (or six) pieces and place evenly spaced onto an oiled baking tray. Brush the tops with beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
5. Bake for 30 minutes at 180°C until golden and sausage is cooked.
6. Serve hot with tomato sauce or chutney on the side and coleslaw mixed with grated granny smith apple, or allow sausage rolls to cool before serving at room temperature. If packing for a picnic, allow to cool in an open container or pastry will steam and get soggy.

Sausage rolls can be made ahead of time and popped in the oven when your guests arrive so they are piping hot on serving. If you’re serving children, it can be better to serve these are room temperature so there’s no chance of burned hands or mouths.

 

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This post is part of Our Growing Edge, a monthly blogging event to encourage bloggers to try new food related things.

This month’s host are Susan and Mike from Simply Sundays Blog and the theme this month is THE TASTES OF SUMMER.

If you have a blog and you are eating or cooking something new this month, click below to join. More information here.