Almost MasterChef Gary's Sausage Rolls with Hidden Vegetables

When I was a kid growing up in Singapore, I remember NOT eating sausage rolls for any occasions.

Back at our time, we used to have chicken franks, fried fish balls, fruit punch and colourful agar agar for our birthday parties. Congee or noodles or chicken rice for lunch. And, Kaka for snacks!

These days... living in Australia, things has changed. Every kiddy parties that we go serve fairy breads and sausage rolls. Sometimes, we have even sausage rolls for quick lunch or snacks. It is hard to avoid eating sausage rolls these days...

Mum, can you bake some sausage rolls for me?

What can I say? Ok...

This is the gourmet version of homemade sausage rolls cooked by Australia MasterChef judge, Gary Mehigan. He was demonstrating this recipe in one of the Masterclass episodes. In Gary's recipe, there is only ONE carrot hidden in these heaps of sausage roll. I made the chicken version of Gary's sausage rolls and the cheeky me hid TWO carrots instead of one...

This is my almost MasterChef Gary's sausage rolls with hidden vegetables... Almost because I have hidden TWO carrots... LOL!

My almost MasterChef Gary's sausage rolls with hidden vegetables...

... with these TWO carrots instead of one!

To hide the carrots, I have to cook and mash them first. I try not to purée it because it sounds like baby food :p

Cook these with a pinch of salt until onion has softened

The bread crumbs and home-grown oregano that I used.

After this, brush a little egg wash to seal the edges...

The recipe didn't cut the sausage rolls before baking...

Just brush them with egg wash, sprinkle lots of seeds and bake!

After baking!

Now... slice the rolls. Enjoy the crunch with nice and moist filling inside.

Here's the recipe from Australian MasterChef at Tastebook.
(with my notes and modification in blue)

1 tbsp unsalted butter (replaced with rice bran oil)
1 large carrot, peeled, grated (I used two instead of one and diced them roughly)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small brown onion, finely chopped
4 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
2 garlic cloves, crushed
350g beef mince (replaced with chicken mince)
350g pork mince (replaced with chicken mince)
1 tbs wild oregano
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs (I used 1 3/4 cup dried ones)
2 x 375g puff pastry, thawed, halved 
(I used 3 puff pastry sheets with 25% fat reduced)
3 egg yolks, lightly whisked
(I reckon 2 egg yolks is more than enough)
poppy and sesame seeds, to garnish
Tomato or BBQ sauce, to serve

Heat butter (or oil) in a saucepan over medium heat, add grated carrot and cook for until carrot starts to soften. Cover with a lid and cook for 4-5 mins (or longer) until very soft. Puree carrot mixture in a blender (or mash it with a fork) until smooth. Season to taste. Set aside to cool completely.

Heat oil in frying pan over medium-high heat, then add onion, thyme, bay leaf, garlic and a pinch of salt. Cook for 4-6 mins or until onion has softened. Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaf and set aside to cool completely.

Combine minces, 1/4 cup of the carrot puree (or all of the carrots), oregano, onion mixture and breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Season with salt. Divide the mince mixture into 4 (or 6) portions and shape into a 25 cm log. Place pastry sheet onto a floured work surface and roll to about 4mm thick. Slice each pastry sheet in half lengthways. Place the sausage log across the closest edge of a pastry sheet. Roll to enclose mixture until the two edges of the pastry meet, trim and discard excess pastry. Brush a little egg wash on the join to secure.

Place sausage rolls on a lined baking rack, brush with egg wash and sprinkle evenly with seeds. Repeat with remaining pastry. Cook in the oven (at 160°C fan forced) for about 20-25 mins or until golden and cooked through.

Slice rolls on an angle, about 2cm wide. Serve with either tomato or BBQ sauce.

Happy Baking
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