Anna Louise A sausage plait is the grown-up, dinner party version of a sausage roll — the same principle of good seasoned sausage meat wrapped in puff pastry, but in a single large plait rather than individual rolls, which looks dramatically more impressive and which cuts into generous, satisfying slices.
It is the thing I bring to picnics, to buffets, to garden parties, and to any occasion where something genuinely impressive but entirely practical is needed.
The plaiting technique sounds more complicated than it is. The pastry is rolled into a rectangle, the sausage filling is placed down the centre, and the pastry on either side is cut into diagonal strips which are then folded alternately over the filling to give the characteristic plaited appearance.
It takes ten minutes and it gives something that looks like it required considerably more skill and effort than it did.
Ingredients for Mary Berry Sausage Plait
For the Sausage Filling
- 700g good quality pork sausage meat — from a butcher if possible
- 1 medium onion, very finely grated
- 1 small Bramley or eating apple, peeled, cored, and very finely grated
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tbsp fresh sage leaves, very finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper — season generously
For the Pastry
- 375g sheet ready-rolled all-butter puff pastry — cold from the fridge
- 1 large egg, beaten — for brushing
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds or poppy seeds — scattered over before baking (optional)
How to Make Mary Berry Sausage Plait
Step 1 — Make the Sausage Filling
Combine the sausage meat, grated onion, grated apple, crushed garlic, fresh sage, thyme, parsley, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Season very generously with salt and pepper. Mix together thoroughly with your hands until everything is completely and evenly combined.
Fry a small piece of the filling in a dry pan — taste it. Season the uncooked mixture until the fried test piece tastes assertively, confidently seasoned. The pastry absorbs some of the perceived seasoning — the filling must be more boldly seasoned than you want the finished plait to be.
Step 2 — Prepare the Pastry
Unroll the cold puff pastry sheet onto a lightly floured piece of baking parchment — the parchment will transfer with the plait to the baking tray.
Using a sharp knife, cut diagonal strips approximately 2cm wide down both long sides of the pastry — cutting from the outer edge inward to within 8cm of the centre on both sides. The central 16cm strip remains uncut and will hold the filling. You should have approximately ten to twelve strips on each side.
Step 3 — Fill and Plait
Shape the sausage filling into a log along the centre uncut section of the pastry — from one short end to the other. The filling should be evenly shaped, approximately 8cm wide and 4cm deep.
Starting at one short end, fold the strips alternately over the filling from left and right — each strip overlapping the previous one at a slight angle to give the characteristic plaited appearance. Tuck the short end strips under the plait at both ends to seal.
Transfer the plait — on its parchment — to a large baking tray.
Step 4 — Glaze and Bake
Preheat your oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / Gas 6.
Brush the entire surface of the plait generously with beaten egg. Scatter sesame or poppy seeds over if using. Refrigerate for fifteen minutes — the cold pastry rises more dramatically.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the pastry is deeply golden, dramatically risen and flaky, and the filling is cooked through — a meat thermometer inserted into the centre of the filling should read 75°C.
Rest for ten minutes before slicing.
Serving Suggestions
Warm from the oven as a main course with a simple green salad. Cold at a picnic — sausage plait travels beautifully and is completely good cold. At a buffet — sliced into generous pieces, it is one of the most popular things on the table. As a Christmas starter or party food — one large plait feeds eight to ten people generously.
How to Store Mary Berry Sausage Plait
At room temperature: Serve within four hours of baking for the crispest pastry.
In the fridge: Store covered for up to 2 days. Warm at 180°C for fifteen minutes to re-crisp the pastry before serving.
In the freezer: Freeze assembled before baking for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen at 200°C for 45 to 50 minutes — covering the pastry with foil for the first twenty minutes.
Mary Berry Sausage Plait Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Combine sausage meat, grated onion, grated apple, garlic, herbs, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and nutmeg. Season very generously. Fry-test a small piece — taste and adjust seasoning assertively.
- Unroll cold puff pastry onto floured parchment. Cut diagonal 2cm strips down both long sides — to within 8cm of centre. Leave central 16cm uncut.
- Shape filling into an even, firmly compacted log along the uncut centre. Fold strips alternately over filling from left and right — overlapping slightly. Tuck short ends under. Transfer to baking tray on parchment.
- Preheat oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / Gas 6. Brush generously with egg. Scatter seeds if using. Refrigerate 15 minutes.
- Bake 30–35 minutes until deeply golden and internal temperature reaches 75°C. Rest 10 minutes. Slice generously.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use sausages instead of sausage meat?
Yes — squeeze the meat from eight to ten good quality pork sausages. The seasoning may need adjusting depending on how well-seasoned the sausages are — fry-test before assembling.
Can I add cheese to the filling?
Yes — 75g of mature Cheddar, coarsely grated, added to the sausage meat gives a slightly more indulgent, more complex filling. Particularly good for a party or a buffet.
Can I add caramelised onions?
Yes — two large onions, slowly caramelised in butter for thirty minutes, cooled and folded through the sausage meat, give a deeply sweet, complex filling that is completely wonderful.
Can I make individual sausage plaits?
Yes — divide the pastry and filling into four equal portions. Make four smaller plaits. Reduce the baking time to 22 to 25 minutes.
Leave a Reply