Italian-style sausage rolls with mascarpone mash

Step 1

Preheat oven to 180°C. Using a mortar and pestle, pound fennel seeds until coarsely ground.

Step 2

Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add onion and ground fennel seeds, and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add carrot and chopped garlic, then pour in stock. Bring to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes or until evaporated. Remove from heat and stir though parsley, breadcrumbs, sausage meat and pesto. Season. Cool completely.

Step 3

Place pastry on a work surface and cut each widthways into 2 equal pieces. Divide one-quarter sausage mixture along the long edge of each piece. Fold pastry over filling, brush edge with a little egg and overlap slightly to seal, trim excess. Repeat with the remaining pastry and sausage mixture to make 4 long rolls. Cut each into 6 rolls to make 24 sausage rolls. Place on a baking paper-lined baking tray. Brush with egg and scatter with fennel seeds. Bake for 25 minutes or until crisp and golden.

Step 4

Meanwhile, place potato and whole garlic clove in a saucepan of cold salted water and bring to the boil over high heat.

Step 5

Reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 12 minutes or until tender. Drain, then mash. Beat through mascarpone, butter and parmesan until creamy. Season. Serve immediately with sausage rolls and caramelised onion.