I have a confession to make: my first son was and still is a fantastic eater. He loves broccoli, leafy greens and will generally try everything I offer him. I thought this was due to my mothering. I honestly thought that my actions had taught him how to be a 'good eater'. Well, 2 years later, my second son was born and brought me back down to earth. Even though I did all the same things with this one, the kid WILL NOT EAT A VEGETABLE! So after eating a big slice of humble pie myself, I joined the ranks of other mums, hiding veggies to trick him into eating them.
These sausage rolls are a fantastic way to hide a plethora of vegetables so kids can gobble them up while mothers breathe a sigh of relief. The recipe makes a big batch which is perfect for a party or you can freeze them just before the oven stage and later on, cook straight from frozen. As always, you can substitute ingredients below with whatever is lying around in the fridge, and beef or chicken mince would also work well. I like pork because it works well with the fennel seeds and reminds me of the gorgeous sausage rolls from Burke Street Bakery. To save time, I use a food processor to grate everything in a matter of seconds.
“Any vegetable you can grate will work really well, and I cook them down before I mix into the pork just to evaporate any water, keeping your pastry crispy later on and also to help disguise them from any kids who fancy themselves as a vegetable Sherlock Holmes.”
Pork and Veggie Sausage Rolls an original recipe by Kimberley Kells
Preparation time: 35 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Makes: 36 Sausage Rolls depending on size you roll
1 Large Onion, peeled
3 Carrots, topped and tailed (I leave the skin on)
2 Zucchini, topped and tailed
1 Handful Mushrooms
1 kg Mince Pork
500g Pork Sausage Meat
2 Tablespoons Fennel Seeds
1 Cup Breadcrumbs
2 Eggs + eggwash
1 Pack Ready Rolled Puff Pastry
Sesame Seeds (optional)
Step 1- Set up a food processor with the grating attachment. Chop the onion and veg so that they will fit in the feeder. Push the onion and veg through and let the machine do the grating for you.
Step 2- Tip the grated veg into a large frying pan with some oil and saute until all the water is released and evaporated. Allow to cool.
Step 3- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled veg, minced pork and sausage meat, fennel seeds, breadcrumbs and eggs. Season generously. My mum taught me that when you're making a filling that is going to be wrapped in pastry, you need to over season because the flavour will be diluted by the pastry.
Step 4- Shape a portion of the filling into a log shape at one end of a sheet of puff pastry. Roll it up over itself and place seam side down. Cut into portions. At this stage, you can freeze them on a tray and they will keep for a couple months.
Step 5- Place onto a lined baking tray with space in between to allow for the pastry to puff. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds. You could also use poppy seeds, or even just a sprinkle of coarse salt would be lovely. Bake at 180c for about 40 min or until golden and crisp on the bottom. If you're cooking from frozen, it will be more like an hour depending on the thickness.