Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion
• finely chopped
• 150g/5½oz courgette
• grated
• 150g/5½oz carrot
• peeled and grated
• 2 garlic cloves
• grated
• 2 tsp fennel seeds
• toasted and lightly crushed
• 450g/1lb sausagemeat
• 400g tin brown lentils
• drained
• 2 tbsp finely chopped sage leaves
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 500g/1lb 2oz block of ready-made puff pastry
• plain flour
• for dusting
• 1 free-range egg
• beaten
• for brushing
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds

Directions

• To make the filling
• heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a high heat
• then add the onion and cook for 5 minutes
• or until softened.
• Squeeze the courgette in your hands to remove all excess liquid
• then add to the pan with the carrot
• garlic and fennel seeds. Cook for a further 5 minutes
• stirring often. Tip into a large bowl and leave to cool.
• When the veg mixture is cooled
• add the sausagemeat
• lentils
• chopped sage and some salt and pepper. Mix well
• then divide in half.
• For the sausage rolls
• roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface to a large rectangle
• about 40cm x 25cm/16in x 10in. Cut in half
• so that each piece measures 25cm x 20cm/16in x 8in. Have the shorter side of each piece facing you.
• Shape one half of the sausage filling into a log down the right-hand side of one piece of pastry
• leaving a 1cm/½in clear margin along the surrounding three edges. Brush the right edge and the top and bottom edges with a little egg wash. Fold the pastry from the left-hand side over the filling to enclose it and press the edges together to seal
• using a fork.
• Repeat with the other piece of pastry and the rest of the filling. Place both filled pastry rolls in the fridge for an hour to rest and firm up.
• Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6 and line a baking tray with baking parchment.
• Take the pastry rolls out of the fridge
• cut each one into four even lengths
• and place on the lined tray. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 30–35 minutes
• or until golden-brown.
• Leave the sausage rolls on the baking tray for a few minutes to cool slightly
• then serve with a mixed leaf salad on the side.