Toasted Fennel & Sausage Puff Pastry

These toasted fennel and sausage puff pastry bites are the perfect appetizer or hor d’oeurve that tastes much more elaborate than the effort and time they require. When I was vegan, my go-to appetizer for parties was a puff pastry filled with spinach, herbs, and vegan cream cheese. I wanted to make a similar but meaty version of my favorite. When you bite into these, you’ll get a buttery, flaky crust that melts in your mouth paired with the herbed savory sausage. But the real star here is the toasted fennel and flaked salt on top. They add so much flavor, I really don’t recommend skipping either of them. The only thing that compares with these when it comes to flavor and simplicity are my bacon wrapped dates stuffed with goat cheese that I can never get enough of.

Make ahead of time – the perfect appetizer for hosting

Another reason I love these sausage puff pastry bites is because you can make them ahead of time and place them in the fridge overnight. After you roll the sausage up in the puff pastry, but before cutting them into bite-sized pieces, you can refrigerate the rolls for a day. This makes them especially easy if you’re planning a gathering. On the day of, all you have to do it cut the rolls into 1 inch pieces, brush with egg and sprinkle with salt and toasted fennel, and bake!

How to roll the puff pastry

Lay the puff pastry onto a generously floured surface. Position the puff pastry so that the short side is closest to you. With the sausage, form a log about 1 inch in diameter that runs along the pastry. Start at the bottom, leaving 1 inch of space between the edge and the sausage. From there you can roll the pastry around the sausage. Allow the pastry to overlap to create a tight seam, then use a knife to cut off the extra pastry. Repeat this until you have used up all the ingredients. Chill for one hour, then you can cut your roll into about 1.5 inch pieces and place them onto a parchment lined baking sheet with the seam on the bottom.

Kitchen essentials:

• A mixing bowl
• A pastry brush
• A baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• A small knife
• A small bowl
• A small skillet

Products I like:

• Puff pastry. The reason I love these sausage puff pastry bites is because they are so quick and easy when you don’t want to show up empty-handed. You can of course make your own pastry, but if you’re looking for a great store-bought option, I really like Dufour Classic Puff Pastry. The ingredients are simple – no preservatives or fillers. I found it at my local grocery store.
• Salt. I use Jacobsen Salt Co. or Icelandic Saltverk for a flaky salt. Both of these brands have been tested by Tamara Rubin for low levels of lead.
• Large rimmed baking sheets. These are big, heavy duty and hold up well over time.

Toasted Fennel & Sausage Puff Pastry

Recipe by Slow Down Company Course: AppetizersDifficulty: Easy

Yields

22

pastry bites

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

12

minutes

Chill time*

1

hour 

Total time

1

hour 

32

minutes

Ingredients

• 14 oz. 14 puff pastry, chilled

• 1 lb. 1 ground pork

• 2 2 eggs, divided

• 2 tbsp 2 herbs de provence

• 1 tsp 1 garlic powder

• 1 tsp 1 onion powder

• 2 tsp 2 red pepper flakes (or more for additional heat)

• 0.5 tsp 0.5 salt

• 1 tbsp 1 fennel seeds

• flaky salt for sprinkling

Directions

• Prepare the sausage filling. In a mixing bowl, combine the ground pork, one egg, herbs de provence, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, and salt. Mix to combine. I find it easiest to mix with my hands.
• Fill the puff pastry with the sausage (use photos above for extra guidance). Remove the puff pastry from the fridge and lay it onto a generously floured surface. Position the puff pastry so that the short side is closest to you. With the sausage, form a log about 1 inch in diameter that runs along the pastry. Start at the bottom, leaving 1 inch of space between the edge and the sausage. From there you can roll the pastry around the sausage. Allow the pastry to overlap to create a tight seam, then use a knife to cut off the extra pastry. Repeat this until you have used up all the ingredients.
• Chill your rolls for one hour. If you’re in a rush, you can skip the chill time – it just makes the pastry easier to cut. You can also make these a day in advance and chill overnight.
• As the rolls chill, toast the fennel seeds. Add the seeds to a small skillet on medium heat. Toast the seeds for a couple minutes, tossing the skillet frequently so the seeds toast on both sides. Once fragrant and golden, transfer the seeds out of the skillet so they don’t continue to cook. Set aside.
  
  You’ll also want to prepare your egg wash. In a small bowl, whisk one egg until homogenous. Set aside.
• When the rolls have almost finished chilling, preheat your oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Once chilled, cut your rolls into about 1.5 inch pieces and place them onto a parchment lined baking sheet with the seam on the bottom. Use a pastry brush to brush the tops of the pastry with the egg wash. Then sprinkle on the toasted fennel seeds and flaky salt.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes on the middle rack. The tops will be golden when done. Enjoy!

Notes

• *If you’re in a rush, you can skip the chill time – it just makes the pastry easier to cut. You can also make these a day in advance and chill overnight.

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