Pork and Parmesan Sausage Rolls

We are in serious snack-food territory with these tasty little morsels. And like all snack-food, it's hard to stop at one. That's why I've cut them into dainty bite-size portions, so you can go back for seconds and thirds and fourths...

As with any simple recipe like this one, when you are using few ingredients it's really important to use top quality. Use all-butter puff and the best sausages you can get your mitts on. I am spoilt by having a quaint and "traditional" local Italian Delicatessen near by. They stock authentic Italian pork sausages which are to-die-for. Grinding your own fennel seeds might seem like an unnecessary step, but whole spices have better flavour than ready-ground spices. However, if you're short on time, or just can't be bothered, use ground fennel seeds.


Pork and Parmesan Sausage Rolls
from Jamie Oliver's 30 Minute Meals
Makes 36 cocktail-size sausage rolls

3 sheets of ready-made, ready-rolled puff pastry
18 pork chipolata sausages
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon of whole fennel seeds or ground fennel seeds
1/4 cup finely grated parmesan
1 tablespoon sesame seeds to sprinkle on top

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees C and line a baking tray with baking paper.

If you're using whole fennel seeds, put a teaspoon of them into a mortar and pestle and grind until they are a fine powder.

Slit the chipolatas down the sides and remove the meat from the casings, discard the casings. The meat will retain the sausage shape if you are careful when you take it out of the skin.

Unroll one pastry sheet (put the rest back in the fridge until you need them) and cut it in two lengthwise so you've got two long rectangles. Brush them both with beaten egg, then arrange 3 sausages down the middle of each rectangle, and scatter over the ground fennel seeds and some grated parmesan. Roll the pastry over to make rolls, make sure the seam is on the bottom, then brush the whole lot with beaten egg again. Scatter over the sesame seeds and cut each long roll into 6 mini ones. Repeat the process with the rest of the pastry and filling until you have 36 mini sausage rolls.

Place them on the baking tray and bake on the top shelf of the oven for 20 minutes or until golden and crunchy, and serve hot, warm, at room temperature or cold - they're great whichever way you go.