Sausage Rolls

My boys always loved home made sausage rolls - we knew what went into them - and they would eat them in no time - this recipe is perfect to freeze and keep for a quick meal later - no need to defrost, just straight into the oven - you'll know when they are cooked - they will be golden and just begging to be devoured.

You will need:-

• 1kg beef mince
• 500g pork mince
• 12 sheets puff pastry
• 1 cup chopped corriander
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup  Kepap Manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce)
• 1/2 cup sweet chilli sauce

Separate your sheets of puff pastry and spread out so they can defrost - use a knife to gently separate the sheets. Do not remove the plastic divider sheets, you will need these later.

Place all ingredients (except for the puff pastry of course) in a bowl - mix well by hand. I grab and squeeze to mix this - I've found its easier and quicker - just dip your hands into it, grab and handful, lift and squeeze - repeat.

You want it to be mixed to a consistency of rissoles - firm but not dry.

Divide the mixture up into 12 even quantities.

Take one of the mince balls, and spread it out over half of one of the puff pastry sheets. Repeat for each ball to a sheet of pastry.

Start to roll up the pastry, leaving the plastic behind.

Continue to roll up the pastry to the end of the plastic. Then roll the plastic back around the newly formed sausage roll.

Next, cut the roll in half - you now have 2 sausage rolls with the plastic wrapped around the outside of the sausage roll (you don't want it rolled inside the roll - yuck!)

To cook: heat oven to about 200ºc and place sausage rolls on lined tray - make sure that the edge of the roll is on the underside of the sausage roll to prevent it unravelling when it cooks.  

Cook until golden. Depending on your oven, you may need to rotate the tray part way through cooking to ensure even cooking. If they explode a little (like mine) its because the mince could probably have been spread a little further before rolling it up.

The rest of them? Place them in a plastic container in the freezer - the sheets of plastic will stop them sticking together in the freezer. To cook, just put on a lined tray (no need to defrost) in oven at 200ºc until golden.

I thought for this one, I would do up a quick pricing, just to show how great these are for value for money along with a little effort.

Let's pretend that you don't have any of the ingredients in your pantry - I am going to use no-name brands where possible so that we can try and make it as cheap as - prices are as at today (May 17, 2015) and priced via online shopping prices through Coles - prices will vary, depending on your location of course, so this is only a rough guide.

• 1kg beef mince   $7.00
• 500g pork mince  $5.50
• 12 sheets puff pastry  $5.40
• bunch fresh coriander  $2.98
• 12 eggs  $2.99
• 500g breadcrumbs  $1.71
• 240ml  Kepap Manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce)  $5.72
• 500ml sweet chilli sauce   $2.00

Total amount to spend on initial spend: $33.30

Cost per sausage roll:  $1.39

Now, just remember, this is for a full carton of eggs, a full bottle of sauce, etc and that you can use these ingredients in other things too - keep the coriander for the Sticky Asian Lamb dish.  So let's break it down a little further:

• 1kg beef mince   $7.00
• 500g pork mince  $5.50
• 12 sheets puff pastry  $5.40
• 1 cup chopped corriander  $1.50
• 2 eggs  $0.50
• 1 cup breadcrumbs  $0.80
• 1/2 cup  Kepap Manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce)  $1.00
• 1/2 cup sweet chilli sauce   $0.50

Outlay: $22.20

Cost: $0.92 cents per sausage roll

See how you can save? Add a mashed potato and some vegetables and you have a meal for under $2.00 (if you only eat one sausage roll of course!)