PORK & CARAMELISED ONION SAUSAGE ROLLS

MAKES ABOUT 42 / PREPARATION 25 MINUTES / COOKING 1 HOUR 5 MINUTES

I like to use free-range or free-farmed pork sausages to make my sausage rolls, rather than sausage meat of dubious provenance.

1 tablespoon olive oil 2 onions, finely chopped ½ teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves 500g good-quality plain pork sausages (I use Freedom Farms) 500g ready-made puff pastry 30g parmesan, finely grated 1 egg 1 tablespoon milk 2 teaspoons sweet smoked paprika

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over low heat. Add the onions and salt and fry gently for about 40 minutes or until very soft and just turning brown. Add the sage and thyme and fry for 2 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Slice the sausages open and squeeze the meat into a bowl, discarding the skins. Add the cooled onion mix and combine well.

Cut the pastry in half and roll each piece out to a rectangle about the size of this page. Sprinkle the parmesan over one rectangle then top with the other rectangle and press down gently to stick the pastry together. Cut the rectangle lengthways in two then roll each piece out to form a long rectangle about 12cm by 75cm.

Divide the sausage mixture in half and use your hands to roll each into a long sausage shape. Place one of these along the centre of each rectangle.

Mix the egg and milk together and brush the far edge of each pastry rectangle with the mixture then roll up each rectangle, wrapping the filling inside and putting the join underneath. Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook. Preheat the oven to 180℃. Cut each roll into 3cm pieces and place on a baking tray. Brush with the rest of the egg and milk mix and sprinkle with the smoked paprika. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden.