How to make the best Christmas Sausage Rolls

Anyone can make sausage rolls, so this year, don't buy them from the Supermarket, make them! Homemade are so much better and after all, it's not Christmas without them!

Rule No. 1 = Good quality sausage meat. There is no way of getting away from the fact that the filling makes the pie! Go to a butcher and get fresh proper sausage meat. Check its British pork. (for reasons why, see the attached article http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/food_matters/britishpork.shtml

Rule No. 2 = Short crust or Flaky Pastry? That is the question. Ok, I personally prefer a flaky for a sausage roll, it also gives me a great excuse to buy a ready-made pastry! You can get decent ready made pastry these days, and too be honest, as much as I love cooking, I have no desire to make my own flaky pastry! If you prefer shortcrust, go for it. Short crust pastry is dead easy to make. (Note - There is no shame in buying ready made pastry) ;)

Rule No. 3 = Add Some Red Onion Jam :) Oh yes, this is what makes them best in my opinion.

So... roll out the pastry into a large rectangle. Smear red onion jam along the centre, going down the long side. Add the sausage meat. Now, remember you want to keep the width fairly thin as you need it to cook through, but not so thin it cooks away to a crunch! About the width of a 50p is a good ratio! Add a nice long thin snake of the meat, brush round the rectangle's edges with a beaten egg, then roll. Cut into 1" long pieces, and cook on approx 175 for 35 mins.

Cool on a cooling rack, remember that jam is going to be very hot!