Hi ya folks: I am going to do a post about sausage rolls. I seen a few in a few blogs on how to make them. They were both from English and African blogs. However the it sparked an idea that I do two methods on this blog. It has been so hot I did not feel like turning on my oven to make the baked version is what I am going to call it.
The fried version I ended up doing because this idea came from a iftar potluck I went to during Ramadan last year. The sister who hosted it was from Sierra Leone was making pies for iftar and she was frying them along with some puff puff. this is where I got the idea from. The rest I am going to tell you as we go on so hold tight. The recipe is very easy and also I will post a picture of the baked version when the weather cools off. For now the fried version is the one for display at the top but I am going to right out on how to do both methods.
If you are baking, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Cut the oven on to preheat it to 375F or 190C. From here you make the dough for the pastry first. 1 cup each of all purpose unbleached flour and whole wheat flour. Add 1 handful of nido milk powder, 1 pinch each of red chili powder, pink salt, grated nutmeg equal to 1 pinch, 1 tiny pinch of baking soda, 3 pinches of baking powder, 3 tbs of ghee. This is the only time I use ghee is when I am making a pie crust or for pastry.
I combined the ghee in to the flour mixture with my hand and it should look like crumbly meal when done. It is similar to making homemade biscuits. No I do not mean a cookie but I am aware of what it is called in other cultures. A biscuit here in USA is very popular and it is almost like bread here and it is widely eaten in the southern states with gravy. Ok you got what I mean when I said the flour mixture should look crumbly.
Now you can add 1/2 cup of water a littte at a time and keep mixing until you have a dough. I prefer to use my hands so I know everything is well mixed and I can feel it. it is time to let the dough sit undisturbed for 10 minutes.
Now we can work on the filling part which is very easy. I opened 1 can of zabhiha halal lunch meat for the sausage material. This gets mashed up and since it is so salty I used 1 pinch of bullion powder. Hey do not panic. It is the same thing as using a bullion cube that has been crushed. I usually crush it before I add it to anything for even distribution.
You do not want to bite on something that is lumpy and salty. It is not a good taste or good feeling in the mouth. Add 1 pinch each of curry powder and thyme, 3 dashes of maggi or knorr aroma then give it a good mix and mash along the way. It should not be in a solid form at all what so ever. When you are done set this aside.
In the mean time if you are frying take out a cast iron skillet because they cook food so well. Add 1/4 cup of either corn or canola oil. Turn on to high heat and let the skillet get hot, pour in the oil and let it heat up and turn it down to med low. You do not want to set off the smoke detector. I am a great cook I have to admit but damn my smoke detector drives me nuts it is hair trigger.
Now break off tiny pieces of dough in the bowl. It should be up to 12 balls of dough the shape of a golf ball. Now take 1 cup of all purpose unbleached flour for dusting only and get a big enough tray so you can keep your counter clean. I found a huge tray at a dollar store here in Chicago, Mr, Riaz and I knew these people for a long time. Their store has been closed for a long time now and they are nice people. So if they happen to stumble on my blog I just want to say hi.
I took my golf sized ball of dough and flattened it a little where it looked like a round circle then I dredged it in the flour and rolled it thin. It should look like a chapati in case you know what I am talking about. Take tsps. of filling and place it in the middle of the dough then take the part of the dough that is towards you and fold that piece to where it nearly by the filling and roll this time away from you. This way it should look like it is long seal the edges in the back with your fingers by pinching it and at the end.
If frying like I did yesterday, gently lift and place it in the hot oil and let it fry until you see a slight brown at the edge. This takes two utensils to turn or they would break. I used a skimmer in the back and a spatula in the front and gently flipped it away from me. This is so oil doesn’t splatter and the sausage roll doesn’t break. I flipped it a couple of more times to make sure it is golden then took them out and placed them on a plate that has been lined with paper towel to catch the oil. Repeat till finished. There should not be anymore dough and filling left. I had enough however for these sausage rolls.
That was for the fried version and it is time you do the same thing as you do the same thing for the baked version. With the baked version you take the sausage rolls and you fill up your parchment paper lined cookie sheet with these yummy things. You crack an egg in the bowl and beat it and brush the egg on top of each sausage roll. If you want to you can add sesame seeds which is either white or black and this is purely optional for the sesame seeds. You can even sprinkle both white and black sesame seeds too if you wish. Stick it in the oven and bake it for 10 minutes and it is 5 minutes per side. You bake until It is golden brown. This Is the baked version and I will post the picture on this very post when the weather cools off.
Mr. Riaz and I enjoyed these way too much and I hope you will too. It is so tasty with shito. Enjoy.
Here is the picture of the baked version now the weather has changed. I am a woman of my word.
Here it is. Enjoy.
