PARTY COMFORTS: SKINNIER SAUSAGE ROLLS, lower-fat, budget friendly

Watch these disappear as soon as they're served...

Skinnier, Healthier Pigs in Blankets with Mustard-Maple Dip

'The best sausage rolls I've ever had!' Taster.

These skinnier, healthier made-from-scratch Sausage Rolls are low in fat & preservatives but incredibly tasty - and so easy to make.

They'd be perfect for a pot-luck party or buffet.  They can be made in advance, cut in small portions, and transported easily.  They taste just as good at room temperature as they are warmed up. 

To make the sausage rolls so healthy, the filling is made up of poultry, a single high-meat venison or boar sausage and a bit of ham.  The flaky pastry -- a one-bowl two-step wonder -- is high in cholesterol but is rolled thin to keep fat per portion to a minimum.  

The flavour of the meat and the texture of the pastry is so superb -- and satisfying -- small portions make just as big an impression as larger ones.   

The sausage filling can be made a day in advance but the pastry needs to be made on the day.  

Serve with Maple-Dijon dip.

Cost: £4 (2019) 
Makes: about 22x 1.5 inch/3 cm pigs in blankets; more for mini sausage-rolls

Ingred:
   
   Sausage: 
       7oz/200 gm minced turkey or chicken thigh
       1 3/4oz/50gm ham hock or sliced ham/pastrami, finely diced
       1 venison or wild boar sausage, casing discarded

       1 generous tsp wholegrain mustard
       1/2 tsp nutmeg
       1/2 tsp celery salt (opt)
       1/4 bunch chives or spring onions, finely chopped
       scant 3 tbsp warm water

   Pastry:

      7 oz/200 gm self raising flour
      1/4 tsp salt
      finely grated zest of lemon or orange (opt)
      at least 250 ml double cream

      1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tsp water (freeze whites for meringues)

  Dipping Sauce (It's quite hot) (opt)
       60% Dijon mustard
       40% Maple Syrup  

Method:

1. Using a fork and a light but thorough hand, mix all sausage ingredients thoroughly; cover & refrigerate if making in advance 
2. Before baking: preheat oven to 400F/200c/180fan/gas6; 
3. Cut a piece of greaseproof paper to fit baking tray; set paper aside and put tray in oven to heat up
4. Prepare pastry: put dry ingred in bowl; add zest if using; stir; make a well in the ingredients; add cream; mix with a fork
5. Dump onto a lightly floured board; the mix should hold its shape as you bring it together but add a bit more cream if necessary 
6. Roll the dough as thin as you can to form a rectangle
7. About 2in/4cm in from the long edge, place a roll of sausage meat about 1 1/2 inches in diameter, bring up the pastry; tuck tightly round the meat; roll just until the pastry forms a cylinder &  seam is underneath.  Trim.  
8. Repeat until sausage runs out; save leftover pastry for Cinnamon Twists (see tips below) or Cheese crackers (recipes coming) 
9. For an individual treat,  slices roll into 1 1/2 inch/3 cm pieces; for a party - bake as a long sausage roll; when cool, use a very sharp or serrated knife to cut into one inch/2cm pieces
10. Brush with egg
11. Using oven gloves, bring the hot tray out of the oven, cover with greaseproof paper; arrange sausage rolls so they are not touching 
12. Bake 20-25 mins
13. Cool on tray 10 mins; move to a cooling rack
14. For Dipping Sauce, blend mustard and maple sauce
15. Can be served warm or at room temperature with dipping sauce on th side 

Comments:
'Amazing low-fat food that's interesting!  These are as good as Waitrose posh.  I would be afraid to serve these; they'd go so fast.  Nice to see green in the filling.  Really good mustard dip - strong but not overwhelming.' Political Agent
'These are really low-fat?  I really liked them; they weren't boring and didn't feel heavy.  The dip was both hot and cool.' 20+ fund-raiser.

Tips: 

• Cinnamon Twists: re-roll leftover pastry; sprinkle with 1 tsp cinnamon mixed with 1 tablespoon sugar; cut into 1in/2cm strips and twist. Bake 15-20 mins till brown
• Replace home-made pastry with ready-made shortcrust pastry if time is of the essence
• If you liked this, you'll probably also like Healthier Scotch Eggs and Lower-Fat & Salt Spanakopita

More Skinnier Food on NavBar: Recipes 11

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This recipe has been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.