Now that "The Great British Baking Show" is on hiatus, I have been watching the masterclass seasons with Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry. I can watch Paul knead dough all day, he is just so good at what he does. In the last episode that I watched, Paul creates the most delicious looking plaited sausage rolls. I had to have them. So, inspired by the man himself, I made similar plaited sausage and mushroom rolls but with my little additions (and shortcuts). Time to see if Paul's baked goods are as good as he claims!

Recipe

Print Recipe

Sausage and Mushroom Rolls

6 rolls

Total Time1 hour hr

Course: Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: pork

Servings: 6

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

Caramelized onions

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 red onion peeled, thinly sliced
• pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Mushrooms

• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon fresh thyme

Remaining ingredients

• 1 sheet puff pastry
• 12 ounces Italian sausage casings removed
• ½ cup shredded fontina cheese
• 1 egg whisked
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds raw

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add 1 red onion thinly sliced and saute until softened. Reduce heat to medium-low, season the onions with a pinch of salt, and continue to cook until caramelized. Add a splash of water if the pan is too dry. When the onions are caramelized, about 20 minutes later, add 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar. Remove from heat and cool.
• Place the mushrooms in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Wipe the saute pan clean and add the mushrooms. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon fresh thyme. Cook the mushrooms until all of the moisture has evaporated, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and cool.
• Lightly dust a clean work counter with flour. Roll out the puff pastry into a 10x12 inch rectangle. Cut the rectangle into 6 rectangles, about 5x4 inches. Place a small amount of the mushrooms in the center of each, followed by the caramelized onions, 2 tablespoon fontina, and 2 ounces sausage.
• Cut the pastry on both sides of the filling into ½ inch strips on a diagonal. Place the flaps on the short sides over the sausage mixture. Then take one strip over the filling from one side followed by another strip on the other side. Repeat to create a crisscross pattern.
• Brush the sausage rolls with the whisked egg. Sprinkle extra fontina on top and sesame seeds. Bake the rolls for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

**Helpful tips and common mistakes

In Paul's version of these sausage and mushroom rolls, he makes a rough puff pastry. Let's be honest, I just don't have to time or patience to make puff pastry. So, to make the process much speedier, I bought the pre-made ones. If you want to take the extra step and make the dough, kudos to you!

Since the puff pastry is taken care of, all we have to do is prepare the fillings. The sausage and mushroom rolls are stuffed with caramelized onions, mushrooms, thyme, Italian sausage, and fontina cheese. Paul's version includes caramelized onions and mushrooms as well but he uses black pudding and does not use cheese or herbs.

For the caramelized onions, I added just a touch of balsamic vinegar to add a little zing. The mushrooms are processed until chopped then sauteed in a dry pan until all of the water has evaporated. I seasoned the mushrooms with salt, pepper, and fresh thyme for a little earthiness.

When you're ready to make the rolls, roll out one sheet of puff pastry into a 10x12 inch rectangle. Cut the rectangle into 6 smaller rectangles, each about 5x4 inches. Spread a small amount of the mushrooms in the center of each pastry followed by the onions, cheese, and sausage. I shaped the sausage into a little roll to help it keep its shape.

Now comes the slightly tricky part. Use a sharp knife and cut slits on both sides of the fillings in a diagonal direction. Fold the center cuts over the sausage then fold one of the strips over the center followed by another strip on the opposite side. Continue to do so for the remaining strips. Don't worry if the folds look "rustic." When the rolls bake, the pastry will puff up and look prettier, trust me.

Brush the sausage and mushroom rolls with egg and sprinkle extra fontina and sesame seeds on top. Bake the rolls until golden brown, about 25-30 minutes. Let them rest for about 10 minutes, then dig in! I appreciated all the flavors into these rolls from the sweet onions to the savory mushrooms to the smoky sausage. Serve these with a side of mustard aioli for a little extra oomph. Thanks for the inspiration, Paul!

For more savory pastry inspiration check out this bacon and egg brioche tart recipe!