Prep. time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes

Loved by city-dwellers and village folk alike, the sausage roll first became popular in the capital during the Napoleonic Wars in the early 1800s. Little is known about the snack during the Victorian era, although a criminal case in 1894 uncovered an incident of an apprentice soaking brown bread in red ochre, salt and pepper to give the appearance of a meaty filling and save money!

This is far from the case with modern versions of this pastry-based treat, which can contain meat or vegan fillings, helping to make the sausage roll a staple of British picnics…

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C / 450°F.
2. Roll out the pastry, cut into eight squares and leave to one side.
3. Next, prepare the filling by mixing the meat, garlic, sage, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
4. Once combined, divide into eight equal sized cylinders and place one on one side of each pastry square.
5. Brush with the beaten egg and cover the filling with the other side of the pastry, using fingers to seal together.
6. Place onto a greased baking tray and brush the top with egg before cooking for 25-30 minutes, until golden in colour and piping hot throughout.