Holiday Party Appetizer: Sausage Puff Pastry Bites

I can't seem to throw a holiday party without serving pigs in a blanket, those little hot dogs wrapped in dough that disappear the moment the platter is passed. So I decided to step it up and create a fancier version: sausage wrapped in puff pastry. You can customize the recipe by using different flavors of sausage; sometimes I use lamb sausage, sometimes turkey, or just plain spicy pork. With store-bought puff pastry these appetizers are a breeze to make. I like to serve them with a bowl of good mustard for dipping.

SAUSAGE PUFF PASTRY BITES

• 1 pound good-quality fresh sausage (4 sausages)
• 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 3 tablespoons grainy mustard
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh chopped herbs, such as rosemary, thyme, and oregano
• 1 egg, beaten together with 2 tablespoons water
• Assorted mustards for serving, optional

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Bake the sausage on a baking sheet for about 30 minutes, until fully cooked, turning once. (Alternatively, cook them on the stovetop.) Let them cool and then cut each sausage in half.
3. Unfold the puff pastry on a floured surface. Brush each sheet with mustard and sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the herbs on each sheet. Cut each pastry sheet into quarters.
4. Place on-half of each sausage on the edge of a puff pastry sheet and roll it up. Crimp the edges of the pastry, tucking the ends underneath. Repeat with the remaining sausage halves and pastry sheets.
5. Place the sausage rolls, seam side down, on a baking pan and brush the tops with the egg wash using a pastry brush.
6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Cut them on an angle into 1-inch pieces and serve hot, with mustard for dipping if desired. Makes about 30 pieces