Recipe: Party sausage rolls

I am a subscriber to the Australian magazine “Living Vegan” and in their 3^rd issue, I came across this recipe which they got from the book “Wrapped in pastry” by Leigh Drew. 

 My partner has made these little beauties a few times now, and they have been a hit with us and with our friends.  I have to admit that the puff pastry that we used was not gluten free.  I have found from experience that vegan, gluten free puff pastry is hard to find (though not impossible!) and it doesn't really puff all that well.  As I am not a celiac but just sensitive to gluten, I can tolerate some gluten, so treat myself with these now and then.

This recipe also calls for vegan Worcestershire sauce. We actually found some in Coles, called 'Spring Valley Worcestershire Sauce'. Not only is it vegan, it is also gluten free.

Note that I have slightly altered the recipe to my tastes. If you want the original, subscribe to Living Vegan or buy the book mentioned above.

What you will need:

Pastry

4 sheets of vegan puff pastry – we used Pampas Puff Pastry ready rolled sheets.

Filling

Half cup red or white quinoa

1 and a half cups vegetable stock

2 tbsp olive oil

1 and a half cups onion, finely chopped (optional)

3 tbsp garlic, minced (optional)

2 cups brown lentils, cooked or canned

3 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp dried sage

Half tbsp paprika

Half tbsp dried marjoram

Quarter tsp nutmeg

1 third cup tomato paste

1 cup water

1 third cup besan (chickpea) flour

1 third cup nutritional yeast

Half tsp salt

Filling Preparation

Rinse the quinoa and place in a medium sized saucepan with vegetable stock. Cover and bring to boil and then reduce heat to minimum. Simmer, stirring now and then, until quinoa is tender and all of the liquid has been absorbed. Set to one side.

Heat olive oil over medium heat and sauté onions until translucent and tender. Remove half a cup of the onions and set to one side.

Add garlic to remaining onions and sauté for another minute. Pour in cooked quinoa and brown lentils. Stir to mix. Add vegan Worcestershire sauce, herbs, nutmeg and stir. Add tomato paste and cup of water and stir.

Turn heat to low and simmer, stirring now and then, until liquid has been absorbed. This should take about 15 to 20 minutes. Pour mixture into large bowl and set aside to cool.

When cooled to tepid (approx.. 20 minutes), spoon into a food processor or use a hand held blender and blend the mixture until smooth. Pour back into the bowl and stir through the retained half cup of sautéed onion, besan  flour, nutritional yeast, and salt. Set to one side and cool completely.

Putting it all together

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius or Gas Mark 6. Line two baking trays with baking paper.

Defrost puff pastry sheets.  Slice in half. Place mixture down the centre third of each half sheet. Carefully roll one side over the mixture and then over to the other side to form a rube. Cut each tube into six pieces. Place on baking paper and put into oven.

Bake until puff pastry is golden and puffed and filling looks dry. Approx 20 minutes.

Serve with tomato sauce. They taste great hot and cold as well.