Jade: Bitemysausage #2

One of the very first meals I had when I first arrived in Southampton was a sausage roll, a pack of crisps and a flapjack, courtesy of halls of residence. The crisps and flapjack were uninspiring to say the least..but the sausage roll, that log of mystery meat encased in crisp buttery puff pastry..that, I bloody loved. Call it sentiment, juicy sausages have been a firm favourite since I was a little girl.. A bit misguided really, seeing as my favourite meat product probably doesn't contain much real meat at all..My dad worked in a sausage factory as a student and to this day refuses to even go near a sausage...I, however, have yet to meet a sausage roll I didn't thoroughly enjoy.

Mini sausage rolls

6 sausages, stripped of their skin. [vic, don't start]

Half an apple, peeled and chopped

Generous dash of freshly cracked black pepper

Pinch of dried thyme

1 tube ready rolled puff pastry, room temperature

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees

2. Mix the sausage meat with the apples and seasoning

3. Unroll your tube of puff pastry, I would keep the pastry on the plastic sheet that comes with it. Makes for easier manouvering.

4. Sausage mix goes onto the middle of the pastry, and using damp hands, so it doesn't stick to the meat, shape the mix into a log

5. Lift one end of the plastic lining and fold pastry over the log.

6. Trim off any excess and press down with a fork to seal the edges. And get a pretty pattern

7. Wet your knifeblade and divide the roll into about 6-7 portions, using a gentle sawing motion. This way you keep the shape and again, no sticky bits.

8. Arrange of a lightly greased baking tray, score each roll twice and bake for about 25 minutes.

9. Let cool, try not to think where the sausage came from..and enjoy;P

I imagine you could just as easily substitute the pork with lamb mince bound with breadcrumbs, an egg and some dried mint, but for now, my duvet beckons and I shall leave the experimenting to you.