Covering yourself with flaky pastry from a classic sauso roll on AFL Grand Final Day is one of the most slovenly – but unashamedly delightful – cullinary pleasures Australia has to offer. This recipe from Melbourne seaside institution Stokehouse’s head chef Ollie Hansford ups the ante with the addition of piquant spices to the sausage mix. Straight out of the oven, Hansford’s sausage rolls will disappear quicker than the Demon’s chance of victory in last weekend’s preliminary AFL final. Finish them off with a liberal dunk in tomato sauce – just watch the drips.
“This is a home-cook-friendly version of the blood pudding roll we have on the menu at Stokehouse,” says Hansford. “Being English and growing up with offal, blood puddings, steak and kidney puddings etc, I wanted to bring a bit of me into the menu with this dish, but with an Australian twist.”
Spiced Pork Sausage Rolls
Makes 15 pieces
Ingredients
600g pork mince
200g pork back fat, minced
5g cumin seeds
5g coriander seeds
5g fennel seeds
5g fenugreek seeds
5g sweet paprika
5g smoked paprika
5g ground white pepper
15g salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper
30g bread crumbs
30ml water
50g harissa paste
3 egg yolks
500g puff pastry
Tomato sauce, to serve
Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Set aside the egg yolks, puff pastry and tomato sauce. Combine all other ingredients with an electric mixer, or through a mincer to create a finer texture.
Once combined, cook a small amount of the mince mixture in a pan and check for seasoning. Adjust as needed.
Roll the mixture into logs. Using cling film helps to ensure even thickness and prevents sticking. Each roll should be 30cm long and roughly the circumference of a $1 coin.
Refrigerate for two hours until set.
Remove the cling film. Cut puff pastry to size, then wrap the mixture in the pastry, leaving the ends open and ensuring no pastry overlaps. Liberally brush the pastry with some of the beaten egg yolks.
Refrigerate for a further 10 mins to allow the yolk glaze to set. Repeat the glazing process twice more, thoroughly coating the top and sides of the pastry.
Dust the top with salt, pepper and smoked paprika, then bake at 180 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.
Take the rolls out and cool briefly on a wire rack. Cut each roll into five pieces and serve with tomato sauce on the side.
