Sausage roll

Remove the pastry from the fridge 10 minutes before using. Roll out the pastry onto a work surface that’s been lightly dusted with flour. Aim for a 35 x 30 cm rectangle and then trim the edges neatly. Cut the rectangle in half lengthways to create 2 strips. Add a layer of apple sauce, leaving a gap at the edges.

Tip the sausage meat into a large mixing bowl and add 3 tbsp cold water and mix together. Divide the meat into 2 equal portions and then mould into a cylindrical form. Place each cylinder into the middle of a pastry strip, leaving space at each side.

Brush the pastry border and top of the meat with a beaten egg. Fold 1 side of the pastry over the meat so it’s fully encased. Then you can use a fork to press the pastry edges together.

Cut the rolls into 5 cm lengths (or as desired) and arrange onto a baking tray. Leave to chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.

Heat the oven to gas 6, 200°C, fan 180°C. Remove the rolls from the fridge and use any leftover beaten egg to brush the top of the pastry. Place into the oven for around 30 minutes or until the pastry is golden. Remove and transfer to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Tips & tricks

For the best sausage rolls, make sure you select quality sausages. This is where you’ll get most of the flavour from, so it’s worth investing in delicious sausages to fill your rolls.

The second star of the show is, of course, the puff pastry. For an easy recipe above we’ve suggested you purchase the pastry from your local supermarket, where excellent ready-made puff pastry should be available. When it comes to creating the sausage roll, don’t roll it too tightly or too loosely. Too tight, and the pastry can crack in the oven when the meat starts to cook, and if too loose you won’t have that signature sausage roll shape.

With puff pastry it’s really important that you chill it first before baking, as it’s the difference in temperature that encourages the pastry to rise and pop for that signature flakey sausage roll crunch. For more puff pastry recipes and ideas we have a selection of 30 recipes available here too. 
 

Recipe variations

We’ve shared a simple recipe above using apple sauce to add a touch of sweetness, but you can vary the sauce used in the recipe to introduce different flavour profiles. Some chefs will use a tomato paste as a base, which creates a tasty breakfast sausage roll variety. Other more experimental chefs have been known to add ingredients like wasabi or garlic mayonnaise. You can also add spices and herbs to the sausage meat prior to wrapping in the pastry. Herbs like thyme and rosemary can be chopped finely and added to the meat before moulding into shape. Or for a spicy kick, try adding chilli flakes.

But if this recipe is still a little too much time in the kitchen for your morning routine, we have a selection of breakfast recipes here for more inspiration, along with a simple sausage, bacon and fried egg sandwich.