Vegan no-sausage rolls

THIS recipe was inspired by my better half. Every year more and more foods become available for those who choose not to eat meat – and now you can make your own. These taste great and won the thumbs-up from my very own vegan.

Makes 12

■ 375g (13oz) pack ready-rolled puff pastry (make sure it’s vegan-friendly!)

■ 2 shallots, diced

■ 2 garlic cloves, minced

■ 300g (10½oz) mushrooms, finely chopped

■ 50g (1¾oz) walnuts, roughly chopped

■ 1 tsp dried parsley

■ 1 tsp dried thyme

■ 1 tsp mustard

■ 50ml (1¾ fl oz) vegetable stock

■ 50g (1¾oz) fresh breadcrumbs

■ Soy milk ÷ Sesame seeds

■ Olive oil, for cooking

PREHEAT the oven to 220C (200C for fanassisted/425F/gas 7) and grease a couple of baking sheets. Next, roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and cut down the middle lengthways.

In a large pan, gently cook the shallots in a little olive oil for about five minutes until they have softened.

add the garlic and cook for a further two minutes before adding the mushrooms, walnuts, parsley and thyme. Cook for about five minutes until the mushrooms start to soften. add the mustard and stock to the mushrooms and cook until the liquid has boiled and evaporated, and the mixture appears drier. Set aside to cool.

Once the mushroom mixture has cooled, stir through the breadcrumbs. This completes your no-sausage filling.

Divide your filling into two and evenly distribute down your rectangles of pastry, using your fingers to shape the filling into sausage shapes.

Brush the edges of the pastry with a little soy milk and fold it over the filling. Divide into six portions per roll (12 in total), before transferring to your greased trays.

Brushing the rolls with soy milk and sprinkle on some sesame seeds.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until the nosausage rolls are golden and puffed up.