Gluten-free | Refined sugar-free 

Makes 18-20 party sized sausage rolls

Why it’s delicious

I’ve been asked to make a healthier version of a sausage roll so many times, I’m not sure why it's taken me so long to post this recipe for you! I’ve been making sausage rolls for most of my chefs career in some way shape and form, including kids party versions, gourmet rolls and picnic rolls and specialty sausage rolls for clients like Google. It seemed only fitting that I make a healthy version for us!

Helpful hints and tips

I’ve added my gluten-free rough puff pastry recipe at the end. However, if you don’t have time on your side, feel free to use store-bought ready rolled gluten-free puff pastry. 

I will add the waiver here though, shop pastry is not as healthy or tasty as my homemade pastry. 

This recipe requires Bridget's Sticky Sauce, a healthy cooking sauce I use in many of my recipes. It's simple, healthy and packs a lot of flavour without adding unnecessary calories. If you need the recipe, you can get it here.

Ingredients

• 3 sheets of ready rolled gluten-free puff pastry; or
• Bridget’s Rough Puff Pastry (recipe and method below)

Sausage filling

• 300 g (10.5 oz) lean beef, lamb, turkey or chicken mince
• 1 small onion, finely minced or grated
• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh garlic
• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
• 2 tbsp Bridget's Sticky Sauce
• 1 tsp Himalayan salt
• 1 tbsp fennel seeds + extra for topping
• ½ small green apple, grated or 4 dried figs, diced small 

• 1 egg yolk + 1 tbsp water whisked together for glazing the rolls

Method

1. Preheat the oven on bake at 190C (375F) and line a baking sheet with non-stick baking paper.
2. If using pre rolled frozen pastry, remove the pastry sheets from the freezer and allow to thaw on the bench naturally for 15 mins. 
3. Make the sausage filling by mixing together your minced meat of choice with the onion, garlic, ginger, sticky sauce, salt, 1 tablespoon of fennel seeds,  grated apple or diced figs. You can use clean or gloved hands to make this task very easy by squeezing the mixture between your fingers until all the ingredients are evenly combined. 
4. Test a small piece of the filling by heating a frying pan on medium and cook a teaspoon of the filling well on both sides. Taste for flavour and add more sticky sauce, salt, fennel seeds, ginger or garlic to the raw filling mixture where you see fit. You want the filling to be well flavoured and delicious.
5. If using the homemade pastry,  divide into 3 pieces and roll out one piece on a clean bench dusted with a little rice flour. Try to roll the piece out into a 5mm thick rectangle as much as you can, adding a dusting of more rice flour if the dough begins to stick. 
6. Take one third of the filling mixture and lay it into a sausage-like shape at the bottom of the pastry sheet that you are using. Carefully begin to roll the pastry over the filling and continue to roll the pastry away from you and into a roll. 
7. Set this roll aside and continue (rolling if using homemade pastry)  filling and rolling the pastry sheet until you have 3 large even rolls. Any leftover pastry can be covered in cling film and kept in the fridge for up to 5 days. 
8. Using the egg yolk and water glaze, brush this mixture evenly all over the rolls and then using a large sharp knife, gently slice each roll into 6 even sausage rolls.
9. Using the point of the knife, score the top of the rolls with little cuts and sprinkle the tops with a few fennel seeds. Transfer the rolls to the lined baking sheet, leaving space between the rolls for cooking and rising. 
10. Bake in a hot oven for 20 minutes or until golden on top and cooked through in the middle. Ideally, serve hot with some of my healthy barbecue or tomato sauce for dipping. 

Bridget’s Rough Puff Pastry

Gluten-free | Sugar-free

Makes enough for 18-20 party sausage rolls or 1 large pie

Why it’s delicious

The wonder that is homemade pastry is not lost on me and now that my body fully rejects gluten I have been searching and testing gluten free puff pastry recipes and believe this one to be the tastiest version so far! 

Helpful hints and tips

This pastry can be made in advance and kept in the fridge for 4-5 days before using. When you are ready to use, allow it to sit out on the bench to warm up for at least 1 hour in warm climates and overnight in cooler climates. 

Ideally you will have a cake mixer with a dough hook for this recipe, but you can also make this by hand with a stiff whisk, wooden spoon and clean hands. 

Ingredients

• 280 g (9.8 oz) gluten-free all purpose flour
• 1 ½ tsp xanthan gum
• 1 tsp Himalayan salt
• 225 g (7.9 oz) butter, cut into large pieces and placed in the freezer for 30 minutes to make very cold 
• 80-100 ml (2.7 - 3.5 fl oz) iced cold water
• 1 egg, beaten
• ½ tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Method

1. Cake maker version Mix together in the bowl of a cake mixer the dry ingredients of gluten free flour, xanthan gum and salt. Add the ice cold  butter and using the dough hook on your machine, begin to mix the ingredients until the butter is broken up into slightly smaller pieces. 
2. Whisk together 80 ml (2.7 fl oz) of cold water with the egg and lemon juice and with the mixer set on the lowest speed possible , blend the ingredients until the dough begins to loosely form. The dough should stick together when squeezed between two fingers. If it still crumbles, add a tablespoon of cold water at a time until the dough just comes together.
3. Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface and press with your hands to form a messy pastry. Using a rolling pin, roll and press the dough out until it resembles a very rough A4 sized square. 
4. Using a bench scraper to assist you bring the right end and the left end of the pastry up to meet together in the middle, like a double sided book. If you have bits of dough falling off, just stick it back together, this is rough puff pastry after all. 
5. Turn the dough clockwise from 12 o’clock to 6 o’clock and roll the dough out again, dusting the bench with more gluten free flour if needed. Do the same fold over again like the first time and turn the dough clockwise from 12 o’clock to 6 o’clock again. 
6. Repeat this fold and turn 4 more times and then cover the final folded dough with cling film and rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes and up to 5 days before using. 
7. Made by hand version If making this dough by hand, place the flour, xanthan gum and salt into a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Add the butter and using clean hands and break up the butter chucks so they are a little smaller. 
8. Whisk together 80 ml of cold water with the egg and lemon juice and pour it into the mixing bowl and using a mixture of clean hands, whisk or wooden spoon to begin to combine the mixture and break the butter until a loose dough forms.
9. The dough should stick together when squeezed between two fingers. If it still crumbles, add a tablespoon of cold water at a time until the dough just comes together.
10. Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface and press with your hands to form a messy pastry. Using a rolling pin, roll and press the dough out until it resembles a very rough A4 sized square.
11. Using a bench scraper to assist you,  bring the right end and the left end of the pastry up to meet together in the middle, like a double sided book. If you have bits of dough falling off, just stick it back together, this is rough puff pastry after all. 
12. Turn the dough clockwise from 12 o’clock to 6 o’clock and roll the dough out again, dusting the bench with more gluten free flour if needed. Do the same fold over again like the first time and turn the dough clockwise from 12 o’clock to 6 o’clock again. 
13. Repeat this fold and turn 4 more times and then cover the final folded dough with cling film and rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes and up to 5 days before using.