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Braided Italian sausage rolls take the classic British sausage roll up a notch with caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms, and melty fontina cheese, all wrapped in a gorgeous woven puff pastry. They're the kind of appetizer that gets everyone coming back for seconds and thirds.
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What makes this recipe special
Now that "The Great British Baking Show" is on hiatus, I have been watching the masterclass seasons with Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry. I can watch Paul knead dough all day; he is just so good at what he does. Even though I took a pastry course at culinary school, I can't compare to his skills.
In the last episode that I watched, Paul creates the most delicious-looking plaited sausage rolls. I had to have them. So, inspired by the man himself, I decided to make my own version. These braided Italian sausage rolls feature mushrooms, caramelized balsamic onion, melted fontina cheese, and savory Italian sausage for a delectable bite. They're just as good as my turkey apple sausage rolls, if I do say so myself!
Recipe
Braided Italian Sausage Rolls
Ingredients
Caramelized onions
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion peeled, thinly sliced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Mushrooms
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh thyme
Remaining ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry
- 12 ounces bulk Italian sausage
- ¾ cup grated fontina cheese
- egg wash (1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water)
- 1 tablespoon raw sesame seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Caramelize onions. Heat oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add sliced onion and saute until softened, about 7-8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, season the onions with salt, and continue to cook until caramelized, about 30 minutes. Add balsamic vinegar, stirring to combine. Remove from heat and cool.
- In the same pan, heat another tablespoon of oil. Add the mushrooms and saute until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and thyme and continue to saute until all the moisture has evaporated, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and cool.
- Lightly dust a clean work counter with flour. Roll out the puff pastry into a 10x12-inch rectangle. Cut the rectangle into 6 rectangles, about 5x4 inches. Place 1 ½ tablespoons of mushrooms in the center of each, followed by 1 tablespoon of caramelized onions and 2 tablespoons of fontina.
- Shape 2 ounces of sausage into a small log that will fit on top of the fillings. Place on top of the fontina cheese.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the pastry on both sides of the filling into ½ inch strips on a diagonal. Gently pull on the top and bottom of the pastry to fold over the sausage filling.
- Take one strip and gently pull it across the filling towards the center. Take a strip from the other side and pull it towards the center to cross over the first strip. Repeat to create a crisscross pattern.
- Brush the sausage rolls with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake the rolls for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Caramelize onions
In Paul's version of these braided Italian sausage rolls, he makes a rough puff pastry. Let's be honest, even though I'm a chef and prefer to make almost everything from scratch, I just don't have the time or patience to make puff pastry. So, to make the process much speedier, I bought the pre-made ones. If you want to take the extra step and make the dough, kudos to you!
Since the puff pastry is taken care of, all we have to do is prepare the fillings. The savory rolls are stuffed with caramelized onions, mushrooms, thyme, Italian sausage, and fontina cheese.
Properly caramelizing onions takes about 40-45 minutes. I can still hear my professor in culinary school yelling at us to take our time, don't rush the process. Now, I am relaying that message to you.
Take your time and let the onion's natural sugars break down.
Recipe tip
If the pan becomes too dry, add 1-2 tablespoons of water to the pan. It also helps to use a lighter colored pan to correctly see when the onions reach that deep golden brown color.
Once the onions are done, add a touch of balsamic vinegar to add a little zing.
Step 2: Cook mushrooms
Now set aside the onions and move on to the mushrooms. You can finely chop the mushrooms by hand or use the help of the food processor.
Heat oil in the same saute pan and add the mushrooms. Continue to saute until all of the moisture has evaporated.
We need to dry out the mushrooms as best as we can to avoid having a soggy sausage roll.
I seasoned the mushrooms with salt, pepper, and fresh thyme for a little earthiness, but you can also use dried thyme.
Step 3: Assemble rolls
When you're ready to make the braided Italian sausage rolls, roll out one sheet of puff pastry into a 10x12-inch rectangle. Cut the rectangle into 6 smaller rectangles, each about 5x4 inches.
Spread a small amount of the mushrooms in the center of each pastry, followed by the onions, cheese, and sausage.
It helps to shape the sausage into a log to help shape the roll.
Now comes the slightly tricky part. Use a sharp knife and cut slits on both sides of the fillings in a diagonal direction.
Fold the center cuts over the sausage, then fold one of the strips over the center, followed by another strip on the opposite side. Since the filling takes up so much space, you'll need to gently pull on the pastry strips to make them reach the center.
Continue to do so for the remaining strips. Don't worry if the folds look "rustic." When the rolls bake, the pastry will puff up and look prettier, trust me.
Step 4: Bake
Brush the sausage rolls with egg wash and sprinkle sesame seeds on top. The egg wash not only helps seal the puff pastry, but it also gives the pastry a lovely golden shine.
Place them on the lined parchment paper, giving them space in between to rise in the oven.
Bake the rolls until golden brown, about 25-30 minutes. Let them rest for about 10 minutes, then dig in!
I appreciated all the flavors in these braided Italian sausage rolls, from the sweet onions to the savory mushrooms to the smoky sausage. Serve these with a side of mustard aioli for a little extra oomph. Thanks for the inspiration, Paul!
For another fun twist on a classic appetizer, check out these pigs in a blanket with balsamic onion jam!
Make-ahead and storage
- Make-ahead: Assemble the rolls ahead of time and refridgerator until ready to bake. When ready, brush with egg wash and sprinkle sesame seeds.
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refridgerator for up to 3 days.
More savory appetizer recipes
Looking for more savory appetizer ideas? Try these:
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All images shot and styled by Christine Ma. Available for food photography, styling, and recipe development.
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