Mini-sausage Rolls Recipe

Prepare aromatics

Finely dice one medium onion to make about 1 cup. Mince two garlic cloves. In a small skillet over medium heat, add 1 tsp neutral oil and sauté the diced onion until translucent and lightly golden, about 5–7 minutes. Add the minced garlic for the last 30 seconds, then remove from heat and let cool to room temperature (5–10 minutes).

Mix filling

In a large bowl, combine 500 g sausage meat (removed from casings), the cooled sautéed onion and garlic, 1 cup breadcrumbs, 2 tbsp chopped parsley, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp ground black pepper, and 1 lightly beaten egg. Mix thoroughly with clean hands or a spoon until evenly combined but do not overwork the meat. Taste a small pinch (optionally cooked briefly) to adjust seasoning.

Portion

Divide the filling into 18 equal pieces (about 28 g each) and roll each into a uniform log roughly 6–7 cm (2.5 in) long and 2–2.5 cm (0.75–1 in) thick. Place on a tray and refrigerate while you prepare pastry to help them hold shape, at least 15 minutes.

Preheat oven

Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F (conventional) or 180°C / 350°F (fan). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Prepare pastry

Lightly flour a clean work surface. Unfold each thawed puff pastry sheet and roll gently with a rolling pin to about 2–3 mm thickness, keeping roughly rectangular. Trim edges if needed to create even rectangles approximately 25 x 30 cm (10 x 12 in).

Cut strips

Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut each pastry sheet into 9 equal strips (for 18 total pieces): each strip should be about 3–3.5 cm (1.25 in) wide and full sheet length. Keep pastry cold — return to refrigerator if it becomes too soft.

Fill and roll

Place one sausage log at one end of a pastry strip. Brush the long edge of the pastry with a little of the beaten egg wash (1 whole egg beaten with 1 tsp milk). Roll the pastry over the sausage meat, sealing the edge underneath to create a neat seam. Repeat for all pieces.

Brush and top

Place the assembled rolls seam-side down on the prepared baking sheets, spaced about 2 cm apart. Lightly brush each roll with the remaining egg wash. If desired, sprinkle sesame or poppy seeds (about 1 tbsp total) evenly over the tops. Use a small sharp knife to make one or two shallow slashes on top of each roll to vent steam.

Bake

Bake in the preheated oven for 18–22 minutes, rotating trays halfway through, until the pastry is puffed and deep golden brown and the sausage meat reaches an internal temperature of 71°C / 160°F. If tops are browning too quickly, loosely tent with foil for the last few minutes.

Rest

Remove from oven and let rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack for another 5 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

While sausage rolls bake, whisk together 1 cup ketchup, 2 tsp mild curry powder, 1 tsp honey or brown sugar, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 tsp hot sauce (optional), and 1/4 tsp salt in a small bowl until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning—add more curry powder for a stronger curry flavor or more honey for sweetness. Refrigerate until ready to serve.