Vegetarian Sausage Rolls
Dip and Crunch
We all love a good flakey savoury pastry that sheds its mark all over our clothes as well as impacting our taste buds. But what about a veggie option and better yet one that requires a few cupboard staples and 30 minutes of your time?
These perfectly crunchy little nuggets of joy are joyous to all. Vegetarian sausage rolls, I would say, are easier than normal meat sausage rolls and require nothing more than some leftover vegetables and cooked lentils. This recipe is easily made vegan as well with an egg substitute.
My favourite part is once you have stuffed, rolled, sealed and cut the pastry into party sized bites (also can be left bigger if you prefer), there is that final step of a sprinkle of sesame seeds to make them look professional.
Why would you even think of buying such items at the shops now? Bring on the little ones, the older ones and the in-between ones for a full family experience. I served these babies with my homemade plum chutney (see full recipe below) but they also go very well with sweet chilli sauce, creamy harissa mayonnaise or any other sauces that tickle your fancy.
Note: the wine is cooked off but if serving kiddies, you can also leave this off for the taste.
Vegetarian Sausage Rolls
Ingredients
2 small onions, finely diced
3 small carrots, finely diced
½ cup cooked brown lentils
300 grams brown mushrooms, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup cauliflower stalk, finely diced
½ cup red wine
¼ cup slithered almonds, roughly chopped
2 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
2 tsp dried thyme
2 eggs
½ cup flour
2 sheets refrigerated puff pastry (do not let it thaw completely)
½ cup breadcrumbs
2 spring onions
3 stalks and leaves parsley
Method
To make the filling
In a large pan, add onions, carrots, garlic and cauliflower stalks with one tablespoon of canola oil on high heat. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until onions are translucent.
Add mushrooms, lentils, salt, pepper and thyme and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Add red wine, almonds and mustard, mixing well and let the alcohol cook off (around 1-2 minutes). Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
In a large mixing bowl, place the cooled mushroom mix, breadcrumbs, 1 egg, spring onions, flour and fresh parsley including the stem. Mix well. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius and line a baking tray with baking paper.
On a smooth surface, roll out the pastry and cut it in two (lengthways). Crack the third egg into a small bowl and beat. On one side of the pastry, brush with egg to help the sides seal.
Place a tablespoon of the mixture along one side of the pastry - making sure there is an even amount across the entire length. Fold the longer part of the pastry over the filling and close using the egg seal (as well as pushing slighting to ensure the seal has been made).
Press a fork into the seal and brush with egg. Cut into bite size pieces and place on the baking tray. Repeat with the second length of pastry. Sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. The filling will be enough for a second sheet of pastry and most likely some to be frozen for a later time.
Remove from the oven and serve hot with Plum or tomato relish (see previous links for these recipes)
