PORK and SAGE SAUSAGE ROLLS

You’d be hard-pressed to find an Australian who doesn’t feel nostalgic about the humble sausage roll – that stalwart of school canteens and kids’ parties. There’s a lot to love, especially when they’re cooked with a home-made rough puff pastry, as they are here. You can play around with fillings and flavours – lamb and harissa or beef and rosemary – but pork and sage are my favourite.

Preparation Time 45 minutes, plus chilling | Cooking Time 40 minutes | Serves 6–8 as a snack

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

3 teaspoons fennel seeds, crushed

40 g (1½ oz/²/₃ cup) coarse sourdough breadcrumbs

80 ml (2½ fl oz/¹/₃ cup) milk

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) pork mince

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1½ tablespoons finely chopped sage leaves

2 teaspoons finely chopped rosemary leaves

2 egg yolks, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for brushing

Sea salt, to sprinkle

Tomato relish, to serve

ROUGH PUFF PASTRY

200 g (7 oz/¾ cup) chilled unsalted butter, diced

200 g (7 oz/1¹/₃ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra to dust

1 tablespoon white vinegar

To make the rough puff pastry, beat 150 g (5½ oz/²/₃ cup butter) and 60 g (2¼ oz/scant ½ cup) flour in an electric mixer until smooth, then spread on a piece of baking paper to a rough 15 x 25 cm (6 x 10 inch) rectangle. Place another piece of baking paper on top and roll lightly to smooth the surface, then refrigerate for an hour until chilled. Combine the remaining butter and a pinch of salt in a clean bowl and rub the butter into the remaining flour with your fingertips until fine crumbs form. Add the vinegar and 60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) iced water and mix to form a soft dough, then knead on a lightly floured surface until just smooth. Wrap in plastic wrap, refrigerate for an hour, then roll out on a floured surface to the same size as the butter mixture.

Place the butter rectangle on top of the pastry and turn the pastry stack so a short side is facing you. Fold the top a third of the way down, then fold up the bottom third to enclose. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes. Place the pastry on a lightly floured bench with the layered seams facing you. Repeat the rolling, folding and chilling once more.

Meanwhile, to make the filling heat the olive oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for about 3–4 minutes until the onion is translucent. Add 2½ teaspoons fennel seeds and cook for a minute or so or until fragrant, then set aside to cool. Combine the crumbs and milk in a bowl and stand for 10 minutes until the milk is absorbed. Add the pork, mustard, herbs and onion mixture, season generously and mix well. Cover and chill.

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) and line a large baking tray with baking paper. Roll the pastry on a lightly floured bench into a 28 x 40 cm (11 x 16 inch) rectangle, then halve lengthways. Divide the filling lengthways down the centre of each piece of pastry and brush the edges with the yolk mixture. Roll to enclose, overlapping the seam slightly, halve each roll crossways and place seam-side down on the tray. Score the tops, brush with the yolk mixture and sprinkle with sea salt and the remaining fennel. Bake for 30–35 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is cooked. Slice the sausage rolls and serve hot with relish.