Sandwich Free Lunchboxes: Sausage Rolls

My SIL deserves equal credit for my "Sandwich Free Lunchboxes" series. Together, we dreamed up how to remove sandwiches from our kids' school lunchboxes.  She also needs credit for all the hours that we've shared creating and cooking these recipes.

As I shared in my last post "Sandwich Free Lunchboxes: Empanadas", I used to find the idea of school lunches frustrating. When my SIL and I started discussing our options for easier school lunches, we decided that a homemade, sandwich free lunchbox was the healthiest and most cost effective option.

Our goal was to have lunchboxes filled with foods that were not just nutritious and filling, but easy. We wanted food that could be made ahead of time and pulled out of the freezer each morning. Our brainstorming resulted in these recipes!

My kids love sausage rolls, but I'm not a big fan of the ingredient list.  Most store bought sausage rolls are loaded with additives and fillers instead of real, healthy food.  I avoid buying the store multi-packs and premade sausage mince from the meat section for this reason.  Homemade sausage rolls filled with homemade seasoned beef mince are an easy and much healthier alternative to prepackaged sausage rolls.

Note: This is a bulk recipe for freezer filling yielding approximately 300 mini sausage rolls.  If you want a more moderate amount, you can half or quarter the recipe and it will work just as well.  Just take note: our kids receive 3 each per lunch, and there are 5 kids between us, so that only totals 20 days of lunches.  Adjust according to your family size!

Start by grating one head of cauliflower.  The easiest way to do this to cut it into chunks, and stick it in a food processor and blitz for about 30 seconds.  Be sure to watch it carefully, you want it grated, not pureed.  In a large bowl, mix together the grated cauliflower with 3 grated carrots and 3 medium onions, finely diced.

In a separate bowl, mix three cups breadcrumbs (look for a preservative free premade one, or make your own) with 2 cups milk.  Let sit 5 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed.

In a very large bowl, mix together the grated veggies and the breadcrumb mixture.  Add 3 kilograms (approx 6 pounds) beef mince (ground beef).  Add 6 eggs, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Using your hands, mix until well combined.  Unfortunately, I forgot to photograph the mixture close up.  It should look like beef mince with veggies in it!

Remove your puff pastry from the freezer and lay in a single layer to defrost, about 10 minutes.

Once defrosted, take a sheet of puff pastry and cut in half.

Scoop heaped tablespoons onto the half sheet, and shape into a cylinder.  

When the pastry is filled, fold over the top half and roll.

Keeping the fold on the bottom, cut each roll in half, then cut each half into 4, totaling 8 sausage rolls per half sheet of pastry.

Repeat with remaining filling and puff pastry.

Lay the sausage rolls with the fold side down on a baking sheet.

Lightly brush each sausage roll with milk to ensure they brown.

Yum, raw meat!

Bake in a 220 degree (430 degree Fahrenheit) oven for 25-30, or until golden and cooked through.

Lay out on cooling racks and allow to cool to the touch, then flash freeze.

After you've flash frozen your sausage rolls, transfer to an airtight container and store in the freezer for 3-6 months.

My kids get three at a time in their lunchboxes with fresh veggies and cheese and crackers.  I pull them out of the freezer in the morning and they're defrosted and ready to eat at lunch time.  Ensure you pack ice bricks in the lunchbox if the weather is hot!

Enjoy!

Lunchbox Sausage Rolls

Yields approximately 300 mini sausage rolls

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower, grated

3 carrots, grated

3 onions, finely diced

3 cups breadcrumbs

2 cups milk, plus extra milk to glaze

3 kilograms (6.6 pounds) beef mince (ground beef)

6 eggs

salt and pepper, to taste

24 sheets puff pastry

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 220 degrees (430 degrees Fahrenheit).
2. In a large bowl, mix together breadcrumbs and milk.  Set aside until the milk is absorbed.
3. In a second large bowl, mix together cauliflower, carrot and onion.  Add the breadcrumb mixture, beef mince and eggs.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Using your hands, mix until well combined.
4. Lay out puff pastry in a single layer to defrost, about 10 minutes.
5. Once defrosted, take a sheet of puff pastry and cut in half. Scoop heaped tablespoons onto the half sheet, and shape into a cylinder. Fold over the top half and roll.
6. Keeping the fold on the bottom, cut each roll in half, then cut each half into four, totaling eight sausage rolls per half sheet of pastry.
7. Repeat with remaining filling and puff pastry.
8. Lay the sausage rolls with the fold side down on a baking sheet.
9. Lightly brush each sausage roll with milk.
10. Bake in a 220 degree (430 degree Fahrenheit) oven for 25-30, or until golden and cooked through.
11. Lay out on cooling racks and allow to cool to the touch, then flash freeze.
12. When flash frozen, transfer to an airtight container and store in freezer for 3 to 6 months.