The basic ingredients for sausage roll pastry are flour, butter or shortening, salt, and water. Combining these ingredients creates a flaky and crisp texture that complements the savoury filling of the sausage rolls.
Do you put egg in sausage roll filling?
In a typical sausage roll filling, the eggs are often beaten and mixed with ground meat (such as pork or beef), breadcrumbs, herbs, spices, and sometimes onions or other vegetables. Combining these ingredients, including the eggs, creates a delicious and well-balanced filling that complements the flaky pastry.
Of course, variations in sausage roll recipes exist, and not all recipes may include eggs in the filling. However, it is a common ingredient in many traditional sausage roll preparations.
Why are my sausage rolls soggy?
If your sausage rolls are turning out soggy, there are a few reasons for this.
- Moist Filling: If the filling of the sausage roll has a high moisture content, it can seep into the pastry during baking, causing it to become soggy. To avoid this, it's essential to ensure the filling is not too wet.
- Undercooking: If the sausage rolls are not baked for long enough, the pastry might not fully cook, resulting in a soft and undercooked texture.
- Cooling and storage: After baking, if the sausage rolls are left to cool in a sealed container or wrapped in plastic, steam can get trapped, leading to condensation that can make the pastry soggy. It's best to allow the sausage rolls to cool on a wire rack so that any excess moisture can evaporate.
- Reheating: Reheating sausage rolls in a microwave can also lead to a loss of crispness in the pastry. If you need to reheat them, it's better to use an oven or air fryer to help maintain the crisp texture.
How to make sausage rolls
Ingredients
1 small sweet potato (150g), peeled, roughly chopped
1 carrot (110g), coarsely grated
1 medium zucchini (200g), coarsely grated
2 tsp sea-salt flakes
500g beef mince
350g pork and fennel sausages, skin removed
150g fresh breadcrumbs
1 small white onion, very finely diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 Tbsp dried oregano
2 tsp ground allspice
Freshly ground black pepper, to season
3 free-range eggs
6 sheets ready-rolled frozen puff pastry, partially thawed
1 Tbsp sesame seeds
Barbecue or tomato sauce, to serve
Method
-
Cook sweet potato in a large pan of boiling water for 10 minutes or until tender. Drain, return to pan and mash well. Set aside for 30 minutes to cool to room temperature.
-
Meanwhile, combine carrot, zucchini and 1 tsp sea-salt flakes in a strainer set over a large bowl. Set aside for 10 minutes. Squeeze excess liquid from vegetables.
-
Put sweet potato in a large mixing bowl and add carrot mixture. Add beef mince, sausage meat, breadcrumbs, onion, garlic, oregano, allspice, pepper, 2 of the eggs and remaining salt flakes. Using clean hands, mix well until well combined.
-
Preheat oven to 200°C fan- forced (220oC conventional). Line 2 large oven trays with baking paper.
-
Cut pastry sheets in half to form 12 rectangles. Place 1⁄2 cup mixture along 1 long side of each pastry rectangle. Brush a little water along the opposite long edge. Roll up pastry to enclose mince.
-
Cut each pastry log in half to make 2 sausage rolls, then cut each in half again to make 4. Put pastry on prepared trays, seam side down. Using a small sharp knife score 2-3 slashes along top of pastry crossways. Lightly beat remaining egg. Brush egg over pastry and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
-
Bake for 30 minutes or until pastry is puffed and golden. Serve with barbecue or tomato sauce.
You might also like to make Karen Martini's sausage rolls with sage and apple