Sausage rolls

Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface to a rectangle about 35 x 30 cm. Neatly trim the edges, then slice the pastry lengthways to create two long strips. Spread a thin layer of apple sauce, pickle, or chutney on each strip, leaving a small border along the edges.

Place the sausagemeat in a large bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of cold water and mix well. Divide the meat into two equal portions and shape each into a long cylinder. Lay each meat portion along the center of a pastry strip, leaving a border on both sides. Brush the pastry border and the top of the meat with beaten egg. Fold the pastry over the filling and roll it up to encase the meat. Press the edges together with a fork to seal. Cut each long sausage roll into 5 cm pieces and place them on a lined baking tray. Chill for 20 minutes. You can prepare these a day ahead or freeze them for up to a month. If baking from frozen, add an extra 10 minutes to the baking time.

Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan/gas mark 6). Brush the tops of the sausage rolls with the remaining beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame or nigella seeds, if using. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the pastry turns a deep golden color. Remove the sausage rolls from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before serving.