Australia 
PACK THE PERFECT PICNIC BASKET WITH ‘NUDJA SAUSAGE ROLLS BY PIQUE!
The British picnic essential gets an update with authentic Italian flavours. Our amici and handmade picnic hamper purveyors PIQUE have shared their recipe for ‘Ndjua Sausage Rolls, as seen in our limited-edition Aperol Pique-Nique available this summer. With a piquant bite from ‘nduja, a spicy sausage spread traditionally made in Calabria, and a sweet note from apricot jam, PIQUE’s ‘Nduja Sausage Rolls are the perfect match for an Aperol Spritz – bake up a batch for your next gathering in the garden!
WHAT YOU'LL NEED
- 500g Cumberland Sausage Meat
- 250g ‘Nduja
(Try nifeislife.com for authentic Calabrian ‘nduja – they’re an online Italian deli that delivers next day!) - 1 Tbsp Apricot Jam
- 1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
- A few sprigs of fresh Thyme
- 1 box Puff Pastry Sheet
(Jus Roll or similar) - 1/2 Lemon, zested
- Fennel Seeds
- Salt & Freshly-Ground Black Pepper
- 2 Egg Yolks, for glazing
HOW TO MAKE IT
Step 1
Preheat your oven to 200°C – you’ll want it nice and hot so the pastry can really puff!
Step 2
Mix the ‘Nduja into the Cumberland sausage meat firmly until it’s fully incorporated
Step 3
Add the apricot jam, mustard, lemon zest, thyme, and salt & pepper to the sausage mixture
Step 4
With the long side towards you, unroll your sheet of puff pastry and cut it in half lengthwise
Step 5
Divide the sausage mixture and roll it into two sausage shapes, then place one sausage across the length and in the centre of each piece of puff pastry
Step 6
Brush one long edge of each piece of puff pastry with your egg yolks, reserving some of the egg wash to brush on the tops of the rolls before they bake
Step 7
To assemble your sausage rolls, pull the side without the egg mixture over the sausage, then close the roll up by folding the side with the egg mixture over the other side. Make sure the roll is sticking together, then flip the roll over so that the seam you’ve just made is on the bottom. Then, repeat for the second roll
Step 8
Brush the tops of your rolls generously with the remaining egg yolk, then sprinkle with fennel seeds and black pepper
Step 9
Cut the rolls to the size you prefer (slice bite-sized for aperitivo nibbles or go a little bigger for a backyard brunch buffet – it’s up to you!), then bake in the oven at 200°C for 15 minutes, or until the tops are deeply golden and the bottoms have crisped up
Step 10
Serve your sausage rolls with a sauce of your choice. You can even use the juice of the lemon to mix up an easy aioli – simply add 1 or 2 finely-chopped cloves of garlic to 3 Tbsp mayonnaise, then mix in the lemon juice and any finely-chopped fresh herbs you may have on hand, or mix all of the ingredients in a blender for an even easier aioli! Buon appetito!
