Ingredients

• 3 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small fennel bulb
• trimmed and finely chopped
• 1 shallot
• finely sliced
• 2 garlic cloves
• finely chopped
• 60g/2¼oz pancetta
• chopped
• 300g/10½oz minced pork
• 60g/2¼oz fresh breadcrumbs
• 2 small dessert apples (approximately 100g/3½oz)
• peeled and coarsely grated
• 2-3 tbsp flat-leaf parsley
• coarsely chopped
• 1 free-range egg yolk
• 1 lemon
• zest only
• 550g/1lb 4oz ready-made puff pastry
• 1 free-range egg
• lightly beaten
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds

Directions

• Heat a small
• non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the fennel seeds and toast until aromatic (approximately 30 seconds)
• shaking the pan occasionally. Use a pestle and mortar to grind the seeds to a powder.
• Heat the olive oil in a frying pan set over a medium-low heat. Add the chopped fennel
• shallot and garlic. Cook for five minutes
• or until the fennel is golden-brown and tender. Add the pancetta to the pan.
• In a large bowl
• combine the minced pork
• toasted fennel seeds
• cooled fennel mixture
• breadcrumbs
• apples
• parsley and egg yolk. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper and add a pinch of lemon zest.
• Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6 and line two large baking trays with baking paper.
• Cut the pastry in half widthways
• roll each piece out on a lightly floured work surface to a 25cm/10in square. Cut each pastry sheet in half. Divide the mince mixture into four equal portions. Shape each portion into a log and place on the centre of each piece of pastry. Brush the edges of the pastry well with the beaten egg. Fold the pastry over to enclose the filling
• overlapping the edges and pressing to seal. Transfer to the lined trays and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
• Place the sausage rolls on a chopping board
• seam-side down. Cut each roll into three equal pieces. Transfer back to the lined trays
• leaving room between the pieces for them to spread during cooking.
• Brush the sausage rolls with more beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 15 minutes
• then reduce the temperature to 180C/350F/Gas 4. If the trays are on separate shelves swap them around at this point. Bake for a further 10-15 minutes
• or until golden-brown.