Okay, first, let me explain my logic here. We’re all familiar with the concept of pigs in blankets: those delicious festive parcels of sausages wrapped up in streaky bacon, frankly so good I’m still not sure why we only eat them at Christmas… And of course, sausage rolls (the kind that come wrapped in puff pastry, not bread rolls/baps/buns/barms – depending on where you’re from). To me, it seems only natural that the next progression from these delicious snacks is a combination of the two. How it’s not already caught off and gone mad, I really don’t know!
But, in the interests of sharing and caring and Christmas spirit, I decided to share this wonderful (if I may say so myself!) invention with our Christmas party guests this year. The result? Despite competing with an impressive cheese board, pepper, tomato and brie tartlets and mini toad-in-the-holes, those flaky crispy slices of Pigs in Duvets did not last long on the buffet table. I also received some very lovely feedback, along with disappointment that there weren’t any more! Based on this excellent result, I decided that this recipe is probably a success, and therefore well worth sharing with all of you, my lovely online readers.
And so here it is, my Pigs in Duvets recipe: the perfect snack to enjoy in your Boxing Day buffet, and (unlike the pigs in blankets) perfectly delicious and acceptable enough to enjoy for the rest of the year too.
Pigs in Duvets Recipe
Makes 16 chunky slices, cooking time 30-40 minutes
Ingredients:
400g Cumberland Sausages (look for a high meat content and an RSPCA Assured
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8 rashers streaky bacon (I like unsmoked, but use whichever you prefer)
500g ready-to-roll puff pastry
1 tbsp dried sage leaves, crushed
1 small egg, beaten
Pinch nigella seeds (optional)
Method
Preheat the oven to 180˚C fan.
Squeeze out the middles of the sausages into a mixing bowl, and add the dried sage. Mix well to combine.
Cut the pastry in half and roll out on a floured surface. Each piece should be about the size of an A4 piece of paper.
Place the pastry onto a baking sheet (or 2!) on greaseproof paper.
Divide the sausage filling in half, and carefully make a chunky sausage shape along the length of the pastry, around 2.5cm from one edge.
Place the bacon over the sausage filling, using 4 rashers per piece of pastry.
Brush the 2.5cm edge with beaten egg, and carefully fold over the pastry, pinching it together to secure.
Cut slits along the top of each roll to allow steam to escape (and make it look pretty!), brush the top of the rolls with more egg, and sprinkle over the nigella seeds, if using.
Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the pastry is a deep golden colour.
Remove from the oven.
To portion, cut in half first, and check the centre is cooked through. If the sausage filling is cooked, allow to cool for a few minutes, and finish portioning by cutting each half into half, and then each quarter in half again. This should give you 8 even chucky slices from each roll.
Serve hot, make in advance and reheat, or eat cold. They’re just as good either way!
