Description
These Bosnian-inspired sausage rolls combine ground beef and lamb seasoned with garlic, smoked paprika, and spices, wrapped in buttery, flaky puff pastry. Baked until golden and crisp on the outside with a tender, juicy filling, these sausage rolls make a delicious snack or party appetizer that's hard to stop eating.
Ingredients
Sausage Filling
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground lamb
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ yellow onion, puréed
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Dash of cayenne powder
- 1 large egg
Pastry & Finishing
- 2 sheets puff pastry, thawed
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- Sesame seeds, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Make the filling: In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, ground lamb, minced garlic, puréed yellow onion, smoked paprika, salt, baking soda, black pepper, cayenne powder, and one large egg. Mix thoroughly until well combined and smooth, but be careful not to overmix to keep the filling tender.
- Prep the pastry: Lightly flour your work surface and roll out each sheet of puff pastry just enough to smooth it out. Cut each sheet lengthwise in half to create four long rectangular strips.
- Egg wash the pastry: In a small bowl, whisk together one large egg with one tablespoon of heavy cream. Brush this egg wash along both long edges of each puff pastry rectangle to help seal the sausage rolls later.
- Pipe the filling: Transfer the sausage mixture into a piping bag or a zip-top plastic bag with a corner cut off. Pipe a thick strip of filling slightly off-center on one side of each pastry rectangle, leaving enough pastry on the opposite side to fold over the filling.
- Fold, trim, and seal: Fold the pastry over the sausage filling, pressing down at the edge where the filling ends. If there's too much overlapping pastry, trim the excess to prevent doughiness. Use the tines of a fork to firmly press and seal the edges of each roll.
- Slice and finish: Cut each long roll into pieces about 1½ to 2 inches long. Place the pieces on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the tops with more egg wash and make two shallow slits on the top of each roll to allow steam to escape while baking. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the tops for added flavor and crunch.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake the rolls on the center rack for 25 to 30 minutes or until the pastry is deeply golden, puffed, and the sausage filling is fully cooked through.
- Cool and serve: Remove from the oven and let the sausage rolls cool slightly on a wire rack before serving. This allows the filling to set and the pastry to crisp further. Serve warm or at room temperature as a delicious appetizer or snack.
Notes
- For best results, keep the puff pastry cold until ready to use to ensure maximum flakiness.
- If you don’t have a piping bag, you can spoon the sausage mixture onto the pastry, but piping helps create a more even strip.
- These sausage rolls can be made ahead and frozen before baking. Freeze them on a tray, then transfer to a container. Bake from frozen adding a few extra minutes to the bake time.
- Adjust the cayenne pepper to your preferred level of heat.
- For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free puff pastry.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Bosnian
