Easy Sausage Rolls

I have been making these for a few years - I think the original recipe was a BBC Good Food one with a few little tinkles and tweaks over that time. Sausage rolls are a great party food bite or for any packed lunches or picnics.

They have been popular with whoever has been the recipient but never more so than by my daughter's dance school - I made them for an all day competition recently and then they were in heavy demand for the end of year presentation and over 50 of them went almost immediately! But then you just can't beat a fresh sausage roll straight from the oven can you?

I use mustard in these but you can vary these according to your personal taste - I have used red onion chutney and pickles before now too.

For the sausage meat, I would say try to get the best quality you can afford, as it will impact the flavour; and if you can't find the blocks or sausage meat that have been adorning the supermarket lately for festive reasons, then feel free to buy good sausages and just squeeze out the meat from their skins.

Easy Sausage Rolls

Here's how:

• 350g Sausage meat 
• Sea salt and black pepper
• 1/4 tsp garlic salt
• 2 tbsp English Mustard
• 1 sheet ready roll puff pastry
• 1 egg

Firstly pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees and line a couple of baking sheets with grease proof paper.

Now prepare the sausage meat in a bowl, break it up a bit and season generously with the black pepper, and more modestly with the sea salt as sausages tend to be quite salty anyway. Add the garlic salt and mix well - you may need to use your hands!

Now wash and dry your hands, then roll out the pastry which will be in a rectangular shape - cut length-ways straight down the middle so you have two sections, and pull apart slightly. 

Take a pastry brush, and brush a generous amount of English Mustard all the way along the centre of both pieces of pastry.

Now get half of the sausage meat and roll out or pull into small balls and put along the centre of one of the pastry sections all the way along, using the mustard as a guide.

After repeating the process, wash and dry your hands again, and then beat the egg in a small bowl, ready to egg wash the sausage rolls.

Now brush the egg wash along the side of one of the sides of each pastry section and carefully fold the other half over the sausage meat, and press the dry side down onto the egg-washed side and hold down to secure along the length of the sausage roll. 

Now use a sharp knife to cut into smaller sausage rolls - about 3cm long, or just use your eye to cut them into the size you'd prefer. 

Once cut, use the knife to make gentle incisions or little cuts along the top of each individual sausage roll. 

Now use a fork to crimp the edge of each sausage roll, just press down with the ends, where the two pastry sections (dry and egg washed) have met and been pressed together.

Finally lay onto the two baking trays and brush with the remaining beaten egg generously and then place into the oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Enjoy!

For more party food inspiration there are a few ideas below:

Spiced Chicken Goujons
Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese Blinis
Children's Vegetable Train
Children's Caterpillar Sandwiches 
Skinny Spicy Breaded Prawns
Prawn Summer Rolls

Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Pot Pie

Today marks the start of British Pie Week, a celebration of the humble pastry coated dish and to kickstart a week of flaky (and otherwise) posts and re-posts here is the recipe for our classic Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Pot Pie.

With just a puff pastry topping, it is slightly less calorific, but still has all the comforting qualities; a rich and satistfying filling with a golden flaky pastry ton top, and more importantly it’s universally popular. I’ve added a little thyme here as it such good friends with both chicken and mushrooms, but tarragon instead makes for a beautiful variation too.

The below feeds a family of four comfortably and you can serve with just a selection of vegetables, or the classic mash potato or even chips of you’re really feeling naughty.

Here’s how:

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil 
• 2 rashers smoked bacon 
• 1 red onion 
• 1 clove garlic 
• 2 tbsps plain flour 
• 2 large chicken breasts 
• 250g mushrooms 
• 1 tbsp dried thyme 
• 350ml chicken stock 
• 200ml milk (use full fat for the rich and creamy texture) 
• Black pepper 
• 1 pack pastry 
• 1 egg Firstly peel and dice the onion and mince the garlic and set aside for the moment. Wash and slice the mushrooms and set aside.

Now pour the vegetable oil into a pan and place on a medium heat.

Now cut the bacon into small squares and add to the pan until crisp on both sides, turning as you need to.

As the bacon cooks, cut the chicken into small, bite-sized pieces.

Remove the bacon from the pan and set aside and now add the chicken to cook in the bacon fat and oil. Just allow to colour to white in each side, and remove from the pan and sit with the bacon.

Now add the onion and garlic to the pan and allow to saute. As soon as the onion is soft stir through the flour, which will make a bit of a paste, which will act as the thickener for the sauce.

Now add a few tablespoons of the stock to the onions and keep stirring rapidly, for a minute then repeat until all of the stock is added, then do the same with the milk, keeping the rapid stirring up constantly to ensure the sauce comes together. It will be quite thin at this point, but don’t be tempted to add anything to thicken, it will do so in the cooking process.

Now return the chicken and bacon to the pan, and season with black pepper (you can season with salt here, but the salt from the bacon should be sufficient, particularly if you’re cooking for children like I am) and add the thyme and give a good stir.

The filling for the Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Pot Pie

Now pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees.

Put on a low heat and cook for twenty minutes, by which point the sauce will have started to thicken up.

After twenty minutes, spoon all of the chicken mixture into a pie dish and allow to cool for fifteen minutes, again, this will allow for the sauce to thicken slightly more.

Now roll out the puff pastry, or if you have bought a sheet, simply place over the pie dish, and then use your hands to scrunch the pastry underneath the rim of the dish, then cut away the extra.

Now use your thumb all the way round to squeeze underneath and ensure it doesn’t fall off during the cooking.

With the excess pastry, you could make any pattern you choose, Bridget wanted to use her biscuit cutters and we added four hearts to ours.

Now crack an egg into a mug or small bowl and whisk. Then brush it all over the pie with a pastry brush to ensure it goes a lovely golden brown. The final thing to do is to make two or three slashes in to the pie topping to ensure the steam from the pie filling is able to escape, and so the puff pastry rises well and is flaky rather than soggy.

Place into the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is well risn and a lovely shade of golden brown. Enjoy!

Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Pot Pie 

Here’s some other pie recipes:

Squash and Goat's Cheese Pot Pie

Beef and Lentil Beef Pie

Steak and Ale Pot Pie

Cheese and Vegetable Pie

Leftover Chicken and Mushroom Pie

Meat Free Monday Squash & Goat's Cheese Pot Pie

Another recipe to try if you are participating in Meat Free Monday that fits perfectly into the comfort food bracket that is often so needed after that first day back at work after a good weekend.

The filling is a combination of butternut squash, goat's cheese, red pepper, leek and ricotta with a smidge of garlic. In the interest of saving some calories, it's a pot-pie, or one with only a pastry lid rather than casing, the pastry in question - puff, my favourite for any pie.

This is an unctuous, satisfying pie recipe that is gorgeous without any addition of meat. Served with a portion of green vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, green beans or kale makes for a gorgeous meal. 

As well as Meat Free Monday, this is a great alternative or vegetarian dish if catering for non meat-eaters.

Meat Free Monday Squash & Goat's Cheese Pot Pie

Here's how:

• 100g soft Goat's Cheese (I used a Lidl version) 
• 1 small butternut squash
• 1 red pepper
• 1 leek
• 1 clove garlic
• 125g ricotta
• Pinch salt & black pepper
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1 sheet puff pastry (I used a Lidl version here) 
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp coconut oil

First pop the oven on to about 190 degrees.

Place the butternut squash in the oven for 25 minutes while you prepare everything else.

Now slice the leek and mince the garlic and add to a pan with the coconut oil on a low heat to soften.

Cut the pepper into small, equal-sized pieces and add to the pan.

After a few minutes, add the ricotta, the salt and pepper and the thyme too. Stir and allow cook for five minutes, then remove from the heat and set aside.

Cut or crumble the goat's cheese and place into the pie filling and mix a little to distribute evenly.

Once the squash has had 25 minutes remove from the oven and cut in half, lengthways. It will be piping hot so, if you're not in a rush leave for ten minutes to cool. Meanwhile turn the oven down to 170.

Remove the bulk of flesh and cut into equal cubes and add to the pan with the pie filling. Don't worry if the squash still needs a little more cooking - it has that to come in the pie. 

Squash & Goat's Cheese Pot Pie filling

Transfer the filling to your choice of pie dish.

Now open the pastry and place over the top of the dish, cutting away the excess. Use your thumb to crimp the edges - my pies always look quite rustic and I think this obvious homemade-ness adds to their charm.

If you wish, use the excess pastry to make a garnish - as I have here cutting the words 'Meat Free Pie' onto the top.

Now beat an egg and brush the pie all over, including the garnish. Finally cut three holes into the topping to allow steam to escape and avoid soggy pastry.

Now place the pie into the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the pastry is well risen and golden brown.

Serve with your choice of green vegetables. Enjoy!

Creamy Leftover Chicken and Mushroom Pot Pie

This recipe is more of a thrown together Monday night dinner, perfect the day after cooking roasted chicken. 

It's quick and easy to prepare but delivers on flavour and comfort-food credentials. I can admit to never making my own puff pastry, instead I rely on shop-bought, and for this kind of meal it is utterly perfect. I only add a pastry lid too rather than all round the pie, to keep the calorie count down a bit.

Also I use dried tarragon rather than fresh, which always goes so well with chicken and adds a lovely, slightly aniseed element. 

Whilst it's a thick and creamy centre, this is created by making a quick roux, rather than the addition of any cream and I serve simply with vegetables and perhaps a sweet jacket potato - all very low rent. 

This serves 3-4 people.

200g leftover chicken

1 red onion

200g mushrooms (I used Chestnut as I had them in the fridge, but you can use any combination)

1 clove garlic

2 tbsp white wine (I used Pinot Grigio as it was open in the fridge - but use what you have in stock - also a splash of either sherry or brandy would work as well)

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp plain flour

1/2 pint milk

1 tbsp tarragon (I use dried)

Pinch of sea salt

Pinch of black pepper

Sheet of puff pastry

1 tbsp milk

Firstly pre-heat the oven to 180-200.

Slice the red onions and mushrooms and crush the garlic. Add the onions and garlic to a pan with a drizzle of olive oil on a low heat and allow to soften. Add the mushrooms and the wine, sherry or brandy and cook until the alcohol has cooked off and then remove from the heat.

Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces, or shred if easier and add to the pan with the onions and mushrooms. 

In a different pan add the butter on a low heat and allow to completely melt. Add the flour a little at a time and stir continually with a wooden spoon, keep adding more until it's all combined and then slowly add the milk in the same method, stirring all the time. Add the salt, pepper and tarragon and keep cooking on a low heat for ten minutes or until the sauce has thickened. This is your roux.

Transfer the chicken, mushrooms and onion mixture to the roux, stir through to combine and then transfer the mixture to your preferred pie dish or other oven-proof dish. 

Place the pastry over the top, then cut off the excess around the edges. Crimp the sides any way you prefer and then brush the 1 tbsp milk over with a pastry brush. Finally with a knife, cut in a couple of slits in the top, to allow the steam to rise through the pastry during cooking. 

Place into the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is nicely golden. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for a few minutes as the centre will be piping hot. Then serve with your preferred accompaniments and enjoy! 

Applewood Spreadable Challenge: Cheese and Vegetable Pie with Kale and Chorizo

This is my third and final recipe that I have created as part of the Applewood Spreadable #SpreadStirShare challenge in which 20 food bloggers have been tasked with devising some interesting and delicious family recipes using Applewood Spreadable as an ingredient. I have already posted my Cheesy Pea, Leek and Pancetta Gnocchi Bake and the Creamy Pea, Courgette and Mint Risotto, and my final recipe that I enjoyed last night was a Cheese and Vegetable Pie with a side of Kale with Chorizo.

Of the three recipes, this has to be my favourite – but then I do love anything encased in gorgeous pastry, it’s so comforting on a cold, wet winter’s day, and this is a delicious pie filling that I will absolutely be making again.

I used pumpkin, broccoli and leeks in my pie, but you could experiment with whatever you had to hand really. I made a traditional roux – mixing equal parts of butter with plain flour as the basis for this unctuous, decadent cheese sauce, as well as mixing equal parts of the smoky Applewood Spreadable cheese with unsmoked Cheddar.

The kale and chorizo side was to convince the boyfriend that we can sit down to dinner without a big hunk of meat or fillet of fish and with, instead, just a little smidge of meat-stuffs and I’m happy to report he agreed after this lovely meal. This served the two of us comfortably with one portion left over for lunch today – just increase the portion sizes to stretch further!

Here’s how:

1 small pumpkin

1 broccoli head

2 leeks, trimmed

50g plain flour

50g salted butter

65g Applewood Spreadable

65g Cheddar (I used some Cathedral City I had in my fridge)

300ml milk (I used full fat)

Salt & Pepper

Pinch of nutmeg

250g puff pastry (I used Jus Rol)

1 beaten egg

100g kale

100g chorizo cooking sausages

Firstly cut the pumpkin in half carefully, and scoop out all of the seeds. Either retain to toast and enjoy later on or discard. Place on a piece of baking paper on a baking sheet and place in the oven at around 180-200 degrees and bake for 30 minutes.

In the meantime chop off the florets of broccoli and chop up into bite-size pieces. Plunge into some boiling, salted water and cook for 3-4 minutes, to ensure there will be no biting into rock hard vegetables in the pie. Then drain and put to the side.

Once the pumpkin is out of the oven and cool enough to handle, remove the skin and chop into small, bite-sized chunks. Place into an ovenproof dish, and then add the broccoli.

Chop the leeks and then add these, raw to the pie dish with the broccoli and pumpkin.

Next up it’s time to make your cheese sauce. Firstly weigh everything out equally in advance so there is no mad scramble mid-sauce-making as it is a bit of a delicate procedure and needs care and attention! Add the butter to the pan (a tip is to add it in small little knobs so it takes less time to melt and is less likely to burn) – keep on a low heat throughout.

Once the butter is melted, gently add a little of the flour at a time stirring in each time with a wooden spoon or whisk in gently with a balloon whisk. Keep repeating this process until all of the flour has been mixed in.

Now you will add your milk, a little at a time. You may not even need the 300ml, it will depend on how you prefer the consistency of the sauce to be. Once you’ve added about half, add the cheese. I firstly added the grated Cheddar and mixed through until melted through and part of the now-thickening sauce. If you need to, add a little more milk and then add the Applewood Spreadable, again stirring all the while.

Once you are happy with the consistency (it should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and velvety smooth with no lumps), continue to cook on a low heat for a further five minutes to ensure the flour is all cooked out.

Remove from the heat, season generously and add a pinch of nutmeg or even cinnamon to add a little warming spice. Taste at this point to ensure it has the right flavour to your taste, if not add more cheese for a cheesier flavour or a little more milk for a milder taste.

Now cover the vegetables with the cheese sauce, using a spoon to ensure each piece of vegetable is nicely coated and place to the side for a moment. If you hadn’t already – get your oven pre-heating at this point at 180-200 degrees.

Now roll your pastry out accordingly so it will fit snugly over the pie. I baked this as a ‘pot pie’ with a just a pastry topping to cut the calories down a little, as it still gives that huge comforting joy of eating a pie, but isn’t quite as naughty. You could of course also top this with mashed potato and a little grated cheese too, but for me puff pastry is king.

Once you’ve covered the pie, egg wash it so it becomes lovely and golden and place into the oven. If you are artistic you could try and make a beautiful puff pastry garnish out of the excess pastry – if you are artistically challenged like myself, you could create something less adventurous:

The pie needs baking for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown and ten minutes before the end of baking you can start preparing the side dish. 

Firstly chop 100g chorizo sausages into small cubes and add to a dry pan on a medium heat. Chorizo always exudes its own oils, so none is needed here. Once the chorizo has cooked for a good few minutes and is nicely charred on all sides, add the washed kale to the pan and mix continuously. It is more cabbage-like than spinach in the heat and does retain its pretty shape, a few minutes of cooking and this is ready to serve.

Remove the pie from the oven and dish up. Enjoy!

To keep up with the remaining Applewood Spreadable challenge follow the #SpreadStirShare hash tag and check out the Applewood blog for details on the winner due to be announced at the end of this month: http://applewoodcheese.co.uk/blog.php