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Saturday 26 January 2008

Sausage Platt

This sausage platt is one of my families favourite comfort foods and so very versatile in how it can be served. It can be eaten hot or cold, served with a crisp salad or creamy mash and veggies. Of course my platt can be made with shop brought puff pastry, which will be equally as delicious without compromising any flavours or textures!

Living in Lincolnshire and being able to source out the “Real McCoy” of Lincolnshire sausages, my family are familiar with the flavour of herbs and spices in our sausage meat. I have tried to recreate in my recipe those flavours that we enjoy and have become accustomed too. The small quantity of lemon zest in this recipe lifts all the flavours to enhance the herbs and spices, so please don’t be afraid to add this.

Sausage Platt
Flaky pastry
175g (6 oz) Plain flour
A pinch of salt
5og (2 oz) softened butter
50g (2 oz) softened vegetable shortening or lard
4 tbsp iced cold water
For The Filling
1 small onion, chopped very finely
450g (1 lb) good quality sausage meat
50g (2 oz) fresh breadcrumbs
½ tsp zest from a lemon
½ tsp dried thyme
½ tsp dried sage
1 tsp parsley
Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
A grating of fresh nutmeg (be careful not to over power with too much)
1 beaten egg
Extras
A little butter /oil for frying
A little egg wash for the top of the pastry

You will need a large baking tray very lightly greased with butter. A shaped cutter of choice (optional)

To make the pastry, sieve the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Divide the fats into four portions. Add the first portion to the flour and salt rubbing in with your fingertips until all incorporated. Next add the water and form into a ball. Sprinkle the work surface with a little flour and roll the pastry out into an oblong strip about 13cm (5 ins) wide. On the top half of the pastry facing you, dot the second portion of fat three-quarters of the way down then fold three-quarters over and then the quarter over seal the edges with your rolling pin and place in the fridge for 10 minutes to rest. Remove from the fridge and half turn the pastry and roll it out again to an oblong like before and repeat adding the third portion folding and chilling as before, lastly repeat again with half turn using the fourth and final portion of fat, rolling and chilling. Leave in the fridge until required.

For The Filling, in a frying pan place a little butter or oil and fry the onion gently until soft but not coloured. Leave aside to go completely cold. Place all the other ingredients into a bowl (except the egg wash) and work through with clean hands until incorporated.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/400°F/Gas mark 6.

Roll out the pastry into an oblong and each side make slits leaving the top edge and bottom edge and middle free of any slits. Place the meat mixture down the centre and fold each top and bottom flap over then cross the strips of pastry over sticking down with a little egg wash. Roll out any scraps of pastry and cut with the shaped cutters and stick down on the top with egg wash. Finally egg wash all over the pastry top and sides. Lift onto a baking tray carefully with a fish slice and bake in the preheated oven for about 35 – 45 minutes or until the meat juices are running clear and the pastry is golden brown. Drain off any excess fat into a bowl to cool to either throw away or use for roast potatoes.

Serve hot or cold with a crispy salad or creamy mash and veggies.

10 comments:

Maria♥ said...

Rosie your Sausage Plait looks so delish and this is something my family would also enjoy. I will be trying out your recipe soon ;o)

Maria
x

Finla said...

When i saw the picure i was really curious to know what is the filling.
It is just so delicious.
This is going to be another recipe that i am going to try from you.
I am so glad that you have written the herbs you have used in your sausage meat as the sausage meat we get here are not the same.
If i had this it will be also my comfort food :-)

Cakelaw said...

Delicious - perfect comfort food for a chilly night!

Donna said...

My Hubby is into breads right now!! Can you substitute Wheat flour for the regular flour and it still taste good?? I'm making him try this out!! LOL Wonderful as usual!! hughug

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

This is the King of sauasage rolls Rosie. It would make such a lovely presentation too. Wouldn't I love to have some of those Lincolnshire sausages. We used to have a fellow that made sausage patties here which I just loved, but, unfortunately he is no longer in business.

David Hall said...

What a lovely family recipe to share Rosie. We used to eat sausage pie a lot when we were kids, I haven't seen it in an age! Will have to recreate, great stuff.

Cheers
David

Rosie said...

Hi Maria, I am sure your boys would enjoy this recipe. I hope you will try this out and enjoy it as much as we do in my family :D

Hi Happy, it does make a difference using the herbs and spices, it may not be fully 100% correct as a Lincolnshire sausage meat because the recipe is a close guarded secret. I’m sure this gives it a run for its money though :D

Hi Cakelaw, pure comfort food is the word here and so very versatile in how you serve it. :D

Hi Donna, it would be worth a try to use different flour, I’ve not used any other flour before myself so if you make it please let me know I’d be very interested to hear how it turns out :D

Hi Valli, you got it one, a huge sausage roll! My local butcher sells huge sausage rolls that have just been baked and still warm – delicious!! As for the “Real McCoy” of Lincolnshire sausages they are really outstanding. I wish I could have a peek at the recipe at my local butchers lol

Hi David, call me a traditional girl at heart with my roots firm with some of my mam’s recipes. I do enjoy of course more up-to-date recipes but the comfort of childhood food is just something else lol I hope you will give this recipe a whirl :D

Thank you all for calling by and also for your very kind comments!!

Rosie x

James said...

Best served warm with hot chocolate after walking the hills.

I made one of those.... well not quite the same.... I used shortcrust paste and cotswold sausage meat, which is almost the same....

http://www.thecotswoldfoodyear.com/2007/06/sausage-roll.html

Cakespy said...

Rosie, it makes me warm and toasty just thinking about this recipe! I am putting it on file to try when I get back from my NYC trip, because I will probably want some comfort food after all that travel!

Rosie said...

Hi C & T C, thank you and my pleasure to share :D

Hi James, I had to rush over and have a peek at your sausage platt. It looks very delicious and so inviting and hey hot chocolate would a good idea :D

Hi Cakespy, have a good trip to NYC and I hope you enjoy this recipe on your return home :D

Lovely to *see* you all and thank you for your kind comments!!

Rosie x