Sausage Roll Recipe

Prepare aromatics

Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 5–6 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.

Combine filling

In a large bowl, add the ground pork, cooled onion and garlic, chopped parsley, dried sage, dried thyme, Dijon mustard, breadcrumbs, beaten egg, salt, and black pepper. Mix gently but thoroughly with a spatula or clean hands until ingredients are evenly distributed and mixture holds together when pressed. Do not overwork the meat.

Taste and adjust seasoning by frying a 1-tablespoon test patty in a small skillet until cooked through; adjust salt, pepper, or herbs as needed and incorporate into the mixture.

Prepare pastry

Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour. Unfold or roll each puff pastry sheet to remove creases and to about 1/8-inch (3 mm) thickness if needed.

Form sausage logs

Divide the sausage filling into two equal portions. Shape each portion into a tight log about the length of the pastry sheet (roughly 10–12 inches / 25–30 cm) and about 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter. Chill the logs in the fridge for 10 minutes if mixture is sticky—this makes wrapping easier.

Wrap in pastry

Place one pastry sheet on the floured surface with a long side closest to you. Position a sausage log along the long edge about 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the edge. Brush the exposed pastry edge with a little beaten egg (reserve some for wash). Fold the near long edge over the log, then roll the log away from you until sealed. Press seam gently to close and tuck ends under to neaten. Repeat with second log and pastry sheet. Trim any excess pastry; you should have two evenly wrapped rolls.

Finish and score

Place the rolls seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Beat the reserved egg with 1 tablespoon milk to make egg wash; brush generously over tops and ends. Using a sharp knife, make 4–6 diagonal slashes across each roll (about 1/4-inch deep) to allow steam to escape and create an attractive pattern. Sprinkle sesame or poppy seeds and a light pinch of coarse sea salt on top if using.

Bake

Bake in the preheated oven for 25–30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the pastry is deep golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a roll reads 70–75°C (160–165°F). If pastry browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 5–8 minutes.

Rest and serve

Remove from oven and let the sausage rolls rest on the baking sheet for 5–10 minutes to allow juices to settle. Transfer to a cutting board and slice into portions (about 6–8 slices per roll, depending on thickness). Serve warm or at room temperature with mustard or chutney if desired.