240gPlain (all-purpose) flour(1 Cup + 11 level tablespoons)
¼teaspoonFine salt
60gLard(⅓ Cup) or vegetable shortening - cold and cut into small chunks
60gUnsalted butter(⅓ Cup) - cold and cut into small chunks
2-3tablespooncold water
Sausage Meat Filling
20gButter4 teaspoons
100gOnion - white or red (½ medium-sized onion) finely chopped
2tablespoonFresh sagefinely chopped
1Garlic clovefinely minced
350gPork sausage meat from a pack of 6 thick sausages
50gBreadcrumbs(1½ Cups)
50gApple (½ a medium apple), cored and grated but leave grating until you need it, to stop the apple from turning brown
Salt and pepper
1Medium egglightly beaten
2tablespoonSesame seeds or nigella seedsoptional
Here's what we do...
Shortcrust Pastry
In a food processor or a large mixing bowl, mix together your flour and salt and then dot over your cold cubed lard and cold cubed butter.
Pulse your food processor until the mixture is sand-like, ensuring you give it a shake mid-way to pull through all of the flour at the base. If making by hand simply rub the lard and butter into the flour with your fingertips.
Add your ice-cold water and pulse again until the mixture starts to clump. Or mix in with a fork.
Pull the mixture together into a ball and press it together gently but don't knead it.
Flatten into a square shape, about one inch deep, cover in cling film (plastic wrap) and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes whilst you make your sausage meat filling.
Sausage Meat Filling
Melt your butter in a heavy-based saucepan or frying pan over a medium heat, add your finely chopped onion and fry for 3-5 minutes until it just starts to brown a little.
Add your crushed garlic, chopped sage and 2 tablespoons of cold water, keep stirring and once the ingredients start to sizzle, pop on the lid, lower the heat and allow to cook down for 3 minutes.
Remove and leave to fully cool.
Heat your oven to 170°C Fan/190°C/375°F/Gas mark 5 and line a baking tray with greaseproof (parchment) paper.
Skin your sausages by slicing along the side and peeling back the skin, place the meat in a large mixing bowl.
Add your grated apple, breadcrumbs and one lightly beaten egg and mix in with your hands. Then mix in your cooled onion mixture.
Season with salt and pepper and squidge the whole lot together with your hands so everything is equally mixed.
Roll your pastry into two halves measuring approximately 36cm x 14cm each.
Take half of your sausage meat mixture and spread it along the centre of one of your rectangles of pastry.
Lightly beat your other egg, then using your pastry brush, spread some over the edges of two long sides of pastry,
Pull the edge of the pastry furthest away from you over the filling and secure to the other long side. Press the edges of the pastry together with a fork to secure then gently push the secured edge under the sausage roll a little to give a neat finish.
Cover with more egg wash and then cut the long roll in half and then each half into equal thirds.
Place the sausage rolls onto your covered baking tray, sprinkle over sesame seeds and cut three slashes across the top.