Sausage and Pate Plait

This is a good, meaty wholesome bake, ideal as part of an evening meal or cold for tea, or in a working person’s lunch box. It’s my version of a Paul Hollywood recipe from his excellent book “Pies and Puds”.

IMGP3887 Fri 9th - Sausage and pate plait - 8

Servings: 10 – 12 slices                                 Time: About 2 hours if using pre-made pastry                                              Difficulty: A little skill and care needed

Ingredients

  • Around 400 -450g ready made puff pastry
  • 300g mushrooms
  • 1 – 2 Tbsp oregano (5g if using dried)
  • Sunflower oil & butter for frying
  • 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 tsp soft brown sugar
  • 20 ml sherry vinegar (optional)
  • 300g sausage meat
  • 100g pate
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds

Directions

  1. Put the mushrooms in a food processor, season with salt and pepper then pulse to a fine pulp. Add the oregano and pulse again. Transfer to a dry frying pan and cook over a medium heat, stirring regularly, until as much liquid as possible has evaporated. Remove from pan and set aside to cool. (It may be necessary to remove more liquid, either by squeezing or dabbing with kitchen paper.)
  2. Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan on a medium heat and add the onions and sugar. Cook slowly until soft and nicely caramelised – about 15 minutes. Stir in the sherry vinegar if using and set aside to cool.
  3. Heat the oven 200C/Fan 180C/Gas 6. Line a large baking sheet with baking parchment. (It might be necessary to lay the plait diagonally.)
  4. Lightly flour a suitable work area and roll out the pastry to a rectangle about 26 x 30cm. (Cover the pastry with cling film if it begins to stick.) Spread the mushroom pulp down the middle of the pastry, longways, leaving a 5cm gap at the top and bottom.
  5. Mix the sausage meat and pate. Dab “blobs” along the length of the mushrooms, then use a palette knife to spread it out evenly. Spread the onions on top.
  6. Cut diagonal slits on the pastry on each side of the filling at about 2cm intervals. Brush the exposed pastry with beaten egg then fold the strips over alternately to achieve a plaited effect. Tuck the ends in neatly, trimming as required. Using a large palette knife or a cake lifter (+ second person possibly) lift the plait onto the prepared baking sheet.
  7. Brush it with beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 30 minutes or until pastry is golden brown. Leave on the tray for 10 minutes then either serve hot or lift carefully onto a wire rack to cool for later.