Unlike the popular Pigs in Blankets, the filling is ground pork mixed with sauteed onion and garlic. These rolls are relatively easy to make because they are formed in a log and then cut into small bites, so they are much less work than making individual appetizers. 

The more humid environment of a convection oven is ideal for baking puff pastry as the moisture helps separate or “puff” the layers of the pastry. Of course, there is the added benefit of baking all the rolls at one time without having to rotate the trays, which always makes things easier. 

I find these rolls great for appetizers. Once the rolls are formed, they can be cut into bite-sized morsels and baked, or those morsels can be frozen for later use. You can also refrigerate the rolls overnight and bake them the next day.

Following the package directions for thawing the pastry when using frozen puff pastry is important to maintain good working consistency. If you plan on baking the rolls as soon as they are formed for best results, refrigerate them for at least an hour to ensure the pastry is very cold. 

Sausage rolls are a popular bakery item in Australia, so I followed the recipe from an excellent Australian Blog.

INGREDIENTS

4 rashers bacon, minced

1 small onion finely chopped

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp fennel seeds, toasted

1 lb ground pork

¾ cup panko breadcrumbs

1 egg, lightly beaten

½ tsp salt 

Freshly ground black pepper

1 package frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 egg mixed with a dash of water for brushing the pastry

PREPARATION

Add the bacon plus a splash of olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium heat to render the fat. Once the fat has begun to render, add the onion and celery and continue cooking until the onion has softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 3 - 4 minutes. 

The bacon I used rendered a lot of fat so before continuing, I scraped the mixture into a wire mesh strainer and strained out the excess rendered fat.

Combine the cooked mixture with the remaining filling ingredients in a large bowl and mix it well with your hands.

Place the thawed puff pastry on a lightly flour-dusted rolling mat and gently roll it to form a 12” x 12” square.  Cut the square into 3 4” sections and brush the edge of each section with the egg wash.  

Divide the sausage mixture into three equal portions, each just over 7 oz, and form each into an 11” roll. Place the roll close to the edge of the prepared pastry, roll it up, and place it seam side down on a cutting board.  Brush the roll with the egg wash and with a very sharp knife cut it into 1” sections (for appetizers) or larger sections for snacks. (I found I needed to wipe the knife clean with a paper towel between cuts)

If you plan to bake the rolls as soon as they are formed, refrigerate them for at least an hour to ensure the butter doesn’t melt out of the pastry too quickly. Once prepared the rolls can be refrigerated overnight in a covered container between sheets of parchment paper or frozen at this point.

Heat the oven in the Convection or Convection Bake mode to 350 F/180 C to bake the rolls.

Arrange the rolls on parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving at least 2” of space between each one, and bake for 25 - 30 minutes until golden brown. 

In Australia these rolls are typically served with ketchup.

Makes 3 12” rolls - approx 36 1” appetizers