South African Sausage Rolls

Start by sifting the flour and salt into a bowl before adding the butter pieces. Using a pastry cutter (or dinner knife), cut the butter into the flour until the butter resembles large peas. Add the sour cream and cut in with a dinner knife. Next, knead the dough with one hand until it comes together in a ball. Don’t be tempted to add more liquid to the dough. It will all come together after a while. Wrap the dough in wax paper and place in a Ziploc bag before allowing it to rest in the fridge for about 1 hour.

Now get started on the filling. Add the meat to a bowl and throw in the seasoning. Next add the salt and balsamic vinegar and blend the ingredients together. Tear off three long strips of wax paper. Form 3 long sausages with the meat mixture, each measuring about 12 inches long. Roll up the sausages in the wax paper and place in the fridge to rest until the dough is ready.

On a floured surface, roll out the dough into a long rectangle. Fold the rectangle into thirds. The dough will look like a parcel. Turn the dough 90 degrees so the open side faces towards you. Roll and fold the dough another 3 times in the same way and place it on a pan and in the fridge for another hour.

When ready, preheat the oven to 425ºF. Roll the ‘parcel’ of dough into a rectangle, about 12 inches wide, 18 inches long and about 3mm thick. Trim the edges if necessary. Next cut the pastry rectangle into thirds on the long side of about 6 inches per third.

Get the sausage out the fridge and place a roll of sausage in the middle of the first dough strip. Brush the edge of the dough on the long side with beaten egg. Fold the other side of the dough over the sausage. Flip the roll over so the seam is on the bottom side. Press down firmly to seal the edge. Cut the sausage rolls to the length you prefer, about 4-6 inches for an entree size. Repeat with the other sections of dough and the other sausage logs. Brush the tops of the sausage rolls with the beaten egg. Bake sausage rolls for 35 minutes.

Serve hot with mashed potatoes and coleslaw. Alternately, before baking, cut into 1-2 inch sausage rolls and when baked, serve as an appetizer or snack with a side of fruit chutney for dipping.