I know it’s been a while, so let’s hope you’ve missed me and I’ll move swiftly on!
I recently lent the Bourke Street Bakery bread book to a friend and after she returned it I sat down and began flicking through it, as you do. The recipe for lamb, harissa and almond sausage rolls caught my eye BUT, this being the weekend before Christmas when I have lists on my lists, I thought I’d take a few shortcuts. The recipe includes a list of ingredients for making your own harissa and also making your own puff pastry but neither of these things were going to happen in my kitchen today so I bought a jar of Belazu Rose Harissa and some ready rolled puff pastry. I know, shame on me!
I adapted the recipe a bit so here’s what you need
150g Belazu Rose Harissa
2 packs all butter, ready rolled puff pastry from the chiller section in the supermarket
500g minced lamb
50g currants
30g couscous
an egg for the egg wash
salt and pepper
Poppy seeds for sprinkling over the sausage rolls
Mix the minced lamb, harissa, couscous, currants, salt and pepper together well and divide into two equal (ish) pieces and roll each one into a sausage shape. Take the pastry out of the packaging and place on some non-stick baking parchment. Then place one of the sausages along the middle of the pastry, lengthwise. Brush the long edge nearest you with egg wash and fold the other edge over to seal, flattening the sausage a bit as you do so. Repeat with the other bit of pastry and sausage. Trim the long edge and mark nicely with a fork. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with poppy seeds. Divide each one into five (or 4 if you like them a bit bigger) and bake on a baking tray in the centre of the hot oven of a two oven Aga for about half an hour – you might need to use the cold shelf after about twenty minutes to stop them from becoming too brown (or at 350/375 degrees F approximately until filling is cooked right through). Leave on a rack to cool. I’m sure you’ve noticed there are no almonds in mine but only because I didn’t have any blanched ones. I think they would be a great addition.
I tasted one when they were cool enough and boy was it good! I bought extra good lamb, minced specially for me at the butcher and it had a really nice texture. A couple more have disappeared from the rack as we both had them for lunch but the rest are going into the freezer so there will be a wee snacklet for someone over the festive period! 😇
I’d like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a happy, healthy 2017!
Looking forward to seeing you next year!
carolineskitchendiary 