Christmas Sausage Rolls

Prep time: 30mins | Serves: 16

Ingredients:

•⁠ ⁠500g good‑quality pork sausage meat

•⁠ ⁠60g cooked chestnuts, chopped

•⁠ ⁠30g dried cranberries, chopped

•⁠ ⁠30g pistachios, chopped

•⁠ ⁠3g fine sea salt 1

•⁠ ⁠2g freshly ground black pepper 1

•⁠ ⁠320–350g ready‑rolled puff pastry

•⁠ ⁠120g smoked streaky bacon, slices

•⁠ ⁠10–12g fresh sage leaves (kept whole, on the stem or loose)

•⁠ ⁠80–100g cranberry sauce

•⁠ ⁠1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)

•⁠ ⁠2g fine sea salt

•⁠ ⁠1g freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1.⁠ ⁠In a bowl, mix sausage meat with chopped chestnuts, cranberries and pistachios, plus salt 1 and pepper 1, until evenly combined but not over‑worked. Chill 10–15 minutes to firm slightly.

2.⁠ ⁠Heat the oven to 200°C (fan 180°C). Line a baking tray with parchment. Unroll puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and cut lengthways into 2 long equal strips.

3.⁠ ⁠Lay bacon slices along the centre of each pastry strip, slightly overlapping. Spoon a thin line of cranberry sauce on top, then arrange whole sage leaves in a line over the bacon and cranberry.

4.⁠ ⁠Divide sausage mixture into 2 logs and lay one along the centre of each strip, on top of the sage. Brush one long edge of pastry with egg, then roll up tightly so the bacon, sage and sausage are enclosed. Place seam‑side down, chill 10 minutes, then cut each long roll into 8–10 pieces.

5.⁠ ⁠Transfer to the baking tray, spaced apart. Brush tops with egg, sprinkle with salt 2 and pepper 2, then bake 22–28 minutes until puffed, deep golden and cooked through. Cool slightly before serving.