Handheld bites
Classics like sausage rolls, pasties and scotch eggs are still a bu et mainstay for a reason: finger food is easier for guests to eat and saves on washing-up, too. Mini quiches, spring rolls, chicken drumsticks, lettuce cups, hot dogs and tacos all work well. Or, try our retro ‘easy hedgehog canapé skewers’ which you can find on bbcgoodfood.com.
Next level sausage rolls
Go the extra mile by making your own flaky pastry for these sausage rolls. Filling it with shop-bought sausagemeat and herby stuffing mix makes up for the time you’ll spend on it. The uncooked rolls can be assembled and chilled up to 24 hours in advance, and can be served warm or cold for ease.
MAKES 8 PREP 1 hr plus 1 hr chilling COOK 35 mins MORE EFFORT
250g butter, frozen
400g plain lour (or use a mixture of 350g plain lour
and 50g rye lour), plus extra for dusting
1 tsp English mustard powder
1 tbsp cider or white wine vinegar
1 egg, beaten
English mustard, ketchup or brown sauce, to serve For the illing
800g sausagemeat
100g sage & onion stuing mixture
1 The night before baking, freeze the butter. On the day, tip the flour into a large bowl with a pinch of salt and the mustard powder. Hold the butter block in its wrapping and coarsely grate straight into the flour mix, peeling back the wrapping a little at a time as needed and dipping the end of the butter into the flour every so often to stop it clumping in the bowl. Use a palette or cutlery knife to lightly combine, then stir in 200ml ice-cold water and the vinegar to bring the dough together. Wrap and chill for 30 mins.
2 Meanwhile, make the filling. Tip the sausagemeat into a bowl with the stung mix, 100ml cold water and some black pepper. Squish everything together with your hands to combine, then put in the fridge to chill while you roll out the pastry. Tip the dough onto a floured surface and roll out to a rectangle (about 50 x 25cm) and trim the edges. Brush the pastry lightly all over with some of the beaten egg, then mould the sausage mixture into a 50cm log. Sit the meat just o-centre on top of the pastry, then fold the pastry over and crimp, or use a fork to press the edges together. Slice into eight pieces using a knife dipped in warm water, wiping it clean between slices. Arrange the sausage rolls on a baking tray and chill for at least 30 mins. Will keep chilled for up to 24 hrs. Or put in the freezer for 15 mins to chill.
3 Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Brush the rolls with more beaten egg, bake for 20 mins, then brush again and return to the oven for a further 10-15 mins until light mahogany in colour. Leave to cool on a wire rack, then serve warm with English mustard, ketchup or brown sauce.
PER SERVING 805 kcals • fat 55g • saturates 27g • carbs 55g • sugars 4g • ibre 3g • protein 19g • salt 1.9g