This week I decided it was time for a makeover! Time to strip back, refresh and rework everything from top to toe. I don’t know about you, but it always makes me feel better. I felt like it had been far too long since I had paid attention to what was going on both inside and out, and I needed to find a way to get back in touch with the things that make me happy and keep me satisfied. So yep, it was time, time to revisit and renew one of my favourite snacks, the Flaky Sausage Rolls Recipe.
My original recipe for these Flaky Sausage Rolls is still a regular in my household; I lovingly make it for the rest of the family in its gluten-filled glory. It is a favourite with the kids and something I love to feed them because it is packed with lean protein and fresh vegetables, and they will happily scoff them down without a fuss.
For me, though, it has been off the menu, and that was making me a little sad and very tempted to cross the line back into nasty tummy and headaches to enjoy the crisp, flaky crunch of golden puff pastry stuffed with the freshness of vegetables and richness of beef and pork – that is how much I love these little parcels.
My saviour in this instance has been the development of many excellent gluten-free products, including crisp, flaky, golden puff pastry. When I started to see this in the freezer section at the supermarket, I am sure I almost squealed. I was so excited, though perhaps just a little tentative. There are, of course, times when gluten-free products, for all their benefits, cannot match the taste and texture of much loved and missed foods and can lead to much disappointment upon tasting.
I have tried making my own puff pastry with some success, but I have to say it takes a lot of time, work and ingredients to succeed, and there are times when I have neither the time, energy or patience it takes to tackle making it. That is where the convenience of ready-made packs like these is an absolute winner for me. While, compared to conventional wheat-based pastries, more preparation is needed to get the gluten-free pastry ready to fill, including a solid workout with the rolling pin, the end result is well worth it.
I am so glad I can put this Flaky Sausage Rolls recipe back on the menu! I have made them a few times now, and do you know what, the kids have not even noticed there is a difference with the pastry. For me, that is the actual test of just how tasty a recipe is! My gut might be sensitive, but my children are super sensitive, especially regarding food and what they like and don’t like!
Serve warm with a dipping sauce of your preference. The gluten-free pastry is harder to work with than standard gluten-based pastry. You need to keep using the rolling pin for 5 minutes to get the pastry smooth and elastic enough to roll evenly and fold without tearing. Have patience with it – the result is worth it.
Store these Flaky Sausage Rolls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Flaky Sausage Rolls Recipe
Print RecipeIngredients
- 500 grams of lean beef mince
- 500 grams of lean pork mince
- 6 sheets of gluten-free puff pastry
- 2 teaspoons of cooking oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped or minced
- ½ cup rice crumbs or gluten-free bread crumbs
- 2 eggs plus 1 egg for wash
- 1 carrot, grated
- 1 apple, grated
- ½ large zucchini, grated
- 1 cup of baby spinach leaves, finely chopped
- ½ bunch of parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon of dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon of dried basil
- 3 tablespoons of tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon of whole-grain mustard
- 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce
- Sesame seeds to sprinkle on top
- Pepper and salt to season
Instructions
- Heat a frypan over medium-high heat and put some cooking oil.
- Saute the onion and garlic, if using, until softened for about 5 minutes.
- Take out the puff pastry sheets from the freezer and allow them to thaw completely on the bench – (as per instructions on the packet).
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius.
- Line baking trays with baking paper.
- Grate carrot, zucchini and apple and chop spinach and parsley.
- Mix minced meats and vegetables in a big bowl, including cooked onion and garlic, apple, eggs, crumbs, herbs, mustard, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce.
- Take one pastry sheet and fold as per instructions.
- Layout the pastry on a sheet of baking paper large enough to fit the baking tray.
- Using a rolling pin, begin to work the pastry, as per instructions, until it resembles a large rectangle.
- Using a serrated knife, cut the pastry into thirds.
- Whisk the remaining egg for use as egg wash.
- Using about ½ cup of sausage mix, place it in the middle of each slice of pastry, working it into a long sausage about 2-centimetre wide by 1-centimetre high from end to end.
- Brush egg wash on one side of the pastry and fold the other side of the pastry over the top of the sausage mix, then roll again to meet the edge, sticking the pastry together with the egg wash.
- Divide the pastry roll into 4 equal portions with the folded side down.
- Use a pointy ended knife to cut a small slit at each piece’s top.
- Place on the lined baking tray about 2-centimetre apart.
- Brush with egg wash over top and sides.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Repeat with each pastry sheet.
- Bake the rolls for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown.
