FARGO — I love to add new recipes to my Christmas repertoire each season, often inspired by my family’s ethnic heritage. I have been watching "The Great British Baking Show" this month, and sausage rolls are a repeated favorite from season to season. Seeking a new appetizer to add to my holiday fare, I decided to give my own twist to this popular British specialty with these delicious Italian Sausage Rolls, in honor of my husband’s and son’s Sicilian heritage.
These savory little bundles are perfect for holiday gatherings, game day parties, picnics and any occasion when you need a quick and easy appetizer. This is a simple recipe using store-bought puff pastry for the shell and a filling made with ground Italian sausage, onion, eggs, Parmesan cheese and seasoning. You can use mild, sweet or hot Italian sausage for this recipe, or just seasoned pork sausage if preferred. The sausage should be ground, but if you can only find it in links, you can simply remove the meat from its casing.
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When working with puff pastry, it is important to keep it cold whenever possible so that the heat in the oven can create those wonderfully crisp, buttery layers. This recipe is detailed step by step to ensure that this happens, so do not be intimidated if you are new to puff pastry. You can find puff pastry in the freezer section of most grocery stores, typically with two sheets per package. This recipe is designed to use both sheets of pastry to yield 32 mini sausage rolls, but you can halve the ingredients and use just one sheet, if desired.
Once the sausage rolls are formed and cut into pieces, I refrigerate them again for at least 15 minutes before baking, and they can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours or frozen for several months. You can also freeze the rolls after baking, so that you only need to thaw and reheat them before serving. I brush the top and sides of each roll with egg wash before just baking to give them a lustrous, golden-brown finish.
The sausage rolls bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes until they are golden brown, and the filling is fully cooked to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees. They can be served immediately or refrigerated for several days, and they can be enjoyed hot, cold or at room temperature. For a touch of Christmas color, I serve them with warm marinara sauce and basil pesto on the side for dipping.
These Italian Sausage Rolls are the perfect holiday appetizer. Easy to make, you can prepare them well in advance, and they are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. I tested this recipe for the first time last week, and Tony quickly inhaled more than a dozen(!) sausage rolls and then promptly fell asleep. While I do not recommend this level of enthusiasm for everyone, I happily accepted his hearty endorsement. Buon Natale!
Sarah’s Italian Sausage Rolls
Makes 32 mini rolls
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Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
- 1 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 pounds mild or hot Italian sausage, ground or removed from the casing
- 3 eggs, divided
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 package (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, thawed
- All-purpose flour, for rolling the pastry and shaping the sausage filling
Directions:
Take the frozen puff pastry out of its package and remove the wrapping. Place the puff pastry on a piece of parchment paper or a baking sheet to thaw until it is easy to unfold, about 30 minutes.
Heat the oil in a small pan over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the onions, reduce to medium-low heat and cook, stirring often, until they are lightly browned, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the burner and let the onions cool in the pan for 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, add the Italian sausage, sauteed onions, eggs, cheese, salt and pepper. Mix until the ingredients are thoroughly combined. Place the bowl in the refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes.
To prepare the puff pastry: Lightly dust your work surface with flour and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Unfold one of the pastry sheets and use a rolling pin to gently roll it until it is about 10 inches wide and 12 inches long. Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut the rectangle in half from top to bottom. Slice each piece in half again, but from side to side this time. Place the 4 pastry rectangles on one of the parchment-lined baking sheets and then transfer to the refrigerator. Repeat with the second sheet of pastry. Chill the pastry pieces for at least 15 minutes before adding the filling.
In a small bowl, beat the remaining egg until it is runny; set aside.
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Remove the sausage mixture from the fridge and divide it into 8 equal portions. Lightly dust your work surface with flour and dampen your hands to prevent the mixture from sticking to them. Roll each portion out until it is the exact length of each pastry rectangle. Place the rolled sausage on the bottom third of the rectangle, leaving a one-inch border for rolling.
Lightly brush the egg wash atop the edges of the pastry above and below the sausage. Starting at the bottom edge, roll the pastry around the sausage and pinch to secure the seam, then gently smooth the seam.
Place the sausage rolls on the baking sheet, seam-side-down. Chill for at least 15 minutes, or up to 24 hours (if longer than an hour, cover the pan with plastic wrap).
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the rolls from the refrigerator and slice each log in half, then in half again for mini rolls. Brush the tops and sides with egg wash and add toppings like sesame seeds, herbs or flaky sea salt as desired.
Bake in the center of the oven until the pastry is crisp and golden brown, and the sausage is fully cooked (to at least 165 degrees), about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately with dipping sauces like marinara and basil pesto.
To store:
The sausage rolls can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for 3 to 4 days. They can be served hot, cold or at room temperature. You can freeze them baked or unbaked for several months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and let them come to room temperature before baking or reheating at 400 degrees. When freezing unbaked rolls, wait to apply the egg wash until just before baking.
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