Prune, chestnut and apple sausage rolls

Make the pastry ahead and have it chilling in the fridge.

Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C Fan/Gas 5 and line a baking tray with baking paper (use a lipped baking tray rather than a flat baking sheet in case the pastry leaks a little butter).

For the filling, split the skins of the sausages and squeeze out the meat into a bowl. Add the prunes, chestnuts, apple and chopped herbs and mash together well.

Divide the pastry in two, cutting the rectangle in half crossways. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out one half into a rectangle, 35–40cm long and about 15cm wide. Arrange half the sausage meat in an even line down the pastry, positioning it slightly to one side of the centre.

Lightly brush one long edge of the pastry with beaten egg. Take the slightly wider side of the pastry and fold it over the top of the meaty, fruity mix, matching up the edges of the pastry. Press the edges together firmly to seal them together and leave a little ‘handle’ down one side (really these are more ‘sausage fold-overs’ than sausage rolls). With a very sharp knife, slice the roll into 4 equal pieces then make 2 or 3 little cuts in the pastry on the top of each sausage roll. Place on the prepared baking tray. Repeat with the remaining pastry and sausage meat, to make 8 large sausage rolls. Brush the tops of the sausage rolls with more beaten egg. Bake in the oven for 30–35 minutes, until the pastry is a rich golden brown colour and the meat is cooked through.

Transfer the sausage rolls to a wire rack and allow to rest and cool down for at least 30 minutes before eating. These sausage rolls are very good warm or cold. They will keep in the fridge in a sealed container for 3 days. You can reheat them in the oven preheated to 190°C/170°C Fan/Gas 5 for about 15 minutes, until hot right through. Let cool for a few minutes before serving.