Bacon And Bean Sausage Rolls

At this time of year I like to fill the freezer with a variety of sausage rolls ready to go for unexpected guests and sudden events that require a plate of nibbles.

There is something very comforting about a sausage roll served with a little tomato ketchup! I’ve already shared my other favourite recipes for sausage rolls but this is a new one for this year. Whether  you justify this as trying to get more pulses into the kids, flavour experiment or what’s available in the pantry and fridge, this is a winner!

I buy puff pastry that comes in sheets here, around 25cm square. Each sheet of pastry is protected by a sheet of plastic, this is what I then use to wrap the two long rolls that are made with one sheet. Frozen like this it’s easy to remove and defrost as large or small a quantity as you need.

This recipe makes 64 mini sausage rolls or 16 regular.

Ingredients

8 sheets puff pastry

750g rindless back bacon

1kg minced pork

425g tin of baked beans in tomato sauce

120g fresh breadcrumbs

1 onion

5 teaspoons dried sage

salt and pepper

1 egg, beaten

black sesame seeds to garnish

Method

Defrost the pastry at room temperature.

Process the bacon finely, followed by the onion and breadcrumbs.

Now, unless you have an enormous bowl, use a large tray with sides to mix the sausage.

Tip the bacon, onion, breadcrumbs, pork, sage and beans with sauce onto the tray.

Season very well with pepper and salt depending on the saltiness of your bacon.

Use your hands to really work everything through, trying not to crush the beans!

Divide the the sausage into 16 portions.

Form each portion into a long sausage the width of the sheet and line at the top or bottom of the pastry sheet.

Take a sharp knife and cut across the middle of the pastry and then paint this area with egg.

Roll the sausage in the pastry towards the cut to seal and then move it back to its original position.

Repeat with the remaining sausage on that sheet and then roll them towards each other, making sure the under plastic avoids them sticking to each other.

Repeat with the remaining rolls and place them in a large bag in the fridge for an hour.

If freezing them for a later date, label the bag and pop them into the freezer.

If cooking them, preheat the oven to 200 degrees Centigrade.

Brush the top of the sausage roll with the remaining egg and sprinkle over some sesame seeds.

Place on a lined baking sheet and bake, in batches for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.

 

 

Salmon and Dill Quiche

This is a super creamy quiche that is lovely warm or cold with a salad.

Gluten free pastry is a pain to work with, you need to forget all that you have learnt handling regular pastry and just accept it for what it is, sticky and tricky so go for more of a rustic look rather than perfection!

I like to make this when I have some leftover poached salmon or alternatively, season  uncooked salmon and wrap in a foil parcel, bake at 200 degrees Centigrade for 15 mins, allow to cool in the parcel.

Serves 8.

Ingredients

Pastry

80g rice flour

80g buckwheat flour

80g polenta

30g ground almonds

Pinch of salt

160g butter, diced

1 egg

2 tablespoons water

Filling

5 eggs

220mls sour cream

220mls cream

350g cooked salmon

4 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

salt and pepper

15g Parmesan, finely grated

Method

In a food processor, combine the flours, polenta, ground almonds and butter until they form breadcrumbs.

Whisk the egg and water together and with the motor running add them to the flours, process until the dough comes together.

Remove the dough, wrap in plastic wrap and pop into the fridge for two hours.

Take a 23cm wide, 3cm deep quiche tin.

Break small pieces off the dough and gently squish them into the tin until you have covered the base and sides, rising 5mm higher than the edge height.

Pop the tin into the fridge for 1-2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Centigrade.

Remove the tin from the fridge, line with a piece of baking parchment and fill with baking beads or beans.

Place the tin on a baking sheet and bake blind for 15-20 mins.

Remove from the oven, still on the tray.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, add the sour cream and cream and whisk again.

Stir in the dill, salt and pepper.

Spread the salmon chunks over the base of the pastry case.

Pour the egg mix over the salmon and sprinkle the Parmesan over.

Bake in the oven for 25-30mins until the quiche is golden and the egg has only a slight wobble!

Allow to settle for 10mins before cutting.

Cornish Pasties

Leftovers can sometimes be a little lacklustre the day after and if I suggest them to the boys they are greeted with disgust, however, wrap them in pastry and call them something else and they are loved! I’ll never understand boys!!!

I often have leftover roast vegetables when I have a roast so these get used instead of the carrot to speed things up and use everything up!

If you don’t have time to make pastry just use blocks of defrosted puff pastry, you will need 2-3 blocks.

Makes 12 pasties.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

500g leftover roast lamb or beef, finely diced

3 carrots, finely diced

1 onion, finely diced

200mls leftover pan juice/ gravy or stock

45 mls Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons tomato ketchup

salt and pepper

1 egg, beaten

PASTRY

600g plain flour

300g butter, diced

375 mls water

Method

Make the pastry first.

Weigh the flour into a large bowl. Add the diced butter and then form a dough with the water.

Turn onto the floured surface and roll gently into a rectangle, turn around 1 quarter and fold the ends in to form a block. Turn another quarter and roll again, fold on the ends and turn again, repeat 12 times.

Wrap the pastry in plastic wrap and pop in the fridge for 30mins.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan, over a medium heat, and add the onion and carrots, cook until the onion is translucent.

Turn the heat up high and add the meat, cook, stirring regularly, until the meat is beginning to crisp up.

Add the stock, ketchup and Worcestershire sauce and bring up to a gentle simmer.

Simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated, season and set aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Centigrade. Line three baking trays with baking parchment.

Remove the pastry from the fridge and cut into 12 portions.

Take one potion and on a floured surface roll out into a rough circle, around 12-15 cm diameter, spoon some of the meat into the middle and brush the edge with beaten egg.

Bring the sides up to meet in the middle and crimp with your fingers to seal.

Place the pasty on the prepared tray and repeat with the remaining pastry.

Brush all of the pasties with beaten egg and then bake for 30-35 mins until golden and crisp.

Spinach and Cherry Tomato Pie

We all need a cheat in the kitchen!

Sometimes time is not on my side so pastry cases and spinach in the freezer save me with this pie, the chooks help out with the eggs.

Dare I say, it also gets a good dose of greens into the boys with no complaints! It also transports well so large slices are ideal for lunch boxes.

Serves 4-6. I tend to make two at a time to give me the lunch box leftovers.

Ingredients

1 frozen savoury pie case

225g frozen chopped spinach

5 eggs

150mls cream

8-10 cherry tomatoes, halved

freshly grated nutmeg

salt and pepper

10g Parmesan, finely grated

Method

Blind bake the pastry case as per instructions.

Defrost the spinach and squeeze out all of the excess water, set aside.

In a bowl, whisk the eggs and cream, grate in a little nutmeg and season well.

Add the spinach to the egg mix and stir well.

Once the case has pre baked, remove from the oven and fill with the egg and spinach.

Top with the halved tomatoes, cut side up and sprinkle with cheese.

Return to the oven and bake until the centre of the pie has only just set, it can still have a bit of a wobble!

Allow to sit for 10mins before cutting.

Spicy Pork Pockets

These little pockets are a big hit with the boys.

As odd as it sounds adding the avocado to the cold filling, I think that it adds a lovely unexpected element and sneaks something green into the unsuspecting kids!

You can make mini versions of these as a party nibble and make ahead and freeze works well too, just omit the avocado if freezing.

Makes 16.

Ingredients

1kg minced pork

30-50mls olive oil

2 onions, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 chipotle chillies in adobe sauce, chopped

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

2 teaspoons ground cumin

salt and pepper

2 tablespoons fresh chopped oregano

200mls light sour cream

75 g fresh coriander, leaves and stalks chopped

2 large avocados, diced

375g fillo pastry

100-150g butter, melted

Method

In a large pan, heat the oil over a medium heat and cook the onions for around 10mins until soft.

Add the garlic and cook for one minute.

Turn the heat up to high and add the pork, chipotle chillies, ground coriander, smoked paprika, ground cumin, salt and pepper.

Cook, stirring frequently, until the meat is browned.

Add the fresh oregano and sour cream to the pan, allow to simmer gently until most of the liquid has evaporated, set aside to cool.

Once the pork is cold, add the fresh coriander and avocado.

Preheat the oven to 180degrees Centigrade.

Take a sheet of pastry and brush it with butter, top with another sheet, brush again and add another layer. Cut the pastry sheets in half lengthwise.

Take a 16th of the meat mix and spoon onto the bottom short corner of the cut sheet. Fold into a triangle and then keep folding over, working your way up the pastry strip to the top.

Brush the edge with butter to seal.

Set aside on a baking sheet and repeat until you have 16 pockets.

Brush the tops with butter and bake for 25-30mins until golden.

Turkish Lamb Pides Meet Cornish Pasties

Traditional pides use a yeast dough but that takes a bit longer to make so I use a Cornish pasty flaky pastry crust. If you don’t have time or the inclination to make pastry just use frozen puff pastry.

These are fantastic in lunch boxes for the boys and I usually make double batches and freeze half individually wrapped in foil for an easy lunch or snack another day.

Makes 8 pides.

Ingredients

15-30mls olive oil

500g minced lamb

1 onion, finely diced

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon Za’atar

2 teaspoons sumac

pinch of chilli flakes

Salt and pepper

4 tomatoes, deseeded and diced finely

1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley

1 egg, beaten

300g plain flour

150g butter, finely diced

120mls water

Method

Start by making the pastry.

In a large bowl, combine the flour and butter, add the water and mix gently until it comes together.

Flour your work surface, lay the pastry out and roll into a rectangle, around 10-15cm by 30cm.

Fold the bottom third up on itself and repeat with the top third, turn the pastry one quarter and repeat, rolling into a large rectangle and folding back down, repeat this another 6 times.

Wrap on cling film and set aside in the fridge.

Preheat the oven to 180degrees Centigrade.

Heat the oil in a large pan, over medium heat.

Add the onion and garlic and cook slowly until softened.

Turn the heat to high and add the meat, Za’atar, sumac and chilli, cook until the meat is totally browned and the liquid has evaporated.

Remove from the heat and add the diced fresh tomatoes and parsley.

Take the pastry and cut into eight pieces.

Roll one piece out into a rough circle, spoon one eighth of the meat onto the lower half of the circle.

Paint around the edges with the beaten egg, fold over and using a pinching method seal the pastry, folding it upwards back upon itself.

Repeat with the remaining pides.

Brush with beaten egg and bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 mins until golden.