Thai Sausage and Peanut Rolls

You can make these as spicy as you like (the spicier the better in my house so the kids won’t eat them all before my guests arrive) but, whatever you do, make plenty, as they are very more-ish.

MAKES about 30 rolls

PREPARATION TIME 25 minutes

COOKING TIME 25 minutes

oil, for greasing

50g/1¾oz/1/3 cup unsalted, skinned peanuts

250g/9oz sausage meat

1–2 tbsp Thai red curry paste (depending on how much spice you want)

1 large handful of coriander/cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

375g/13oz ready-rolled puff pastry

flour, for dusting

1 egg yolk

1 tbsp milk

TO SERVE

chilli dipping sauce

1 lime, cut into wedges

 

1 Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas 5 and grease a baking sheet.

2 Put the peanuts in a food processor and whizz until finely chopped. Remove one-third from the bowl and leave to one side. Add the sausage meat, Thai red curry paste and coriander/cilantro to the food processor bowl and whizz to combine.

3 Lay the pastry out flat on a lightly floured surface and cut into two long strips. Mix together the egg yolk and milk to make an egg wash, then brush the borders of the pastry with a little of the egg wash. Using wet hands to stop it sticking to you, divide the sausage meat in half and shape each piece into a long, thin sausage, the length of the pastry. Put one on top of each pastry strip, then fold over the pastry to seal in the sausage meat. Roll the whole thing over so the sealed edge is underneath. (The sausage rolls can now be kept in the refrigerator for 24 hours, lightly covered with cling film/plastic wrap, or they can even be frozen for up to 3 months and defrosted before cooking.)

4 Using a sharp knife, cut into bite-size sausage rolls, discarding the pastry ends, and score a couple of slits in the top of each one. Brush with the remaining egg wash and scatter over the reserved peanuts. Carefully lift onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20–25 minutes until cooked through and golden.

5 Serve warm with chilli dipping sauce and lime wedges. (If you make these ahead of time, they can be reheated in a low oven.)