Haggis sausage rolls

These haggis sausage rolls are a great way to use leftover haggis, introduce people to the flavors of haggis in a milder form, or just as an excuse to have a tasty savory snack! They're easy to make, with only a few ingredients, and great finger food.

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Sausage rolls are a classic party food in the UK, and also Australia. And being a tasty mix of sausage-based filling and crisp pastry, it's not really so surprising. Of course, you get good ones and less good ones. Some can be greasy, some fillings are less good.

I love the combination in my homemade sausage rolls, with pork, bacon and sage - so addictively tasty! And they are pretty easy to make, too. This haggis twist on the theme, though, is even easier and packed with flavor. 

What is haggis?

If you have never come across haggis, it's often considered the national dish of Scotland, and is usually high on the list for people to try when they visit. The ingredients might not sound all that appealing to some, being a mix of sheep organs, oatmeal and spices, but I urge you to give it a chance. It's a lot tastier than it might sound at first!

If you are not quite sold on the idea, or if you are unable to find it, I have created a simplified haggis recipe that gives you the same general flavor and texture of haggis, but with easier to find ingredients. It has received many reviews on how close it comes to the original, so it makes a great alternative.

You can have some in the classic Burns Night supper with mashed potato and rutabaga (aka swede mash, together "neeps and tatties"), or you could use some to stuff chicken as chicken Balmoral or make haggis bon bons. But try to save a little to make these tasty bites.

Making the filling

Haggis can vary a little in how heavy it is, plus the flavor can be a little strong, so this recipe uses part haggis and part pork for the filling. This way, you get a texture closer to your classic pork sausage rolls, but with added flavor from the haggis. 

It's not overpowering, though, and indeed if you want it heavier on the haggis flavor, you can always adjust the proportions. Just aim for about the same overall weight of filling. 

Here I used previously cooked haggis, but you could also use uncooked if you are using store-bought. The filling will cook as they bake. With my simplified version, though, I'd suggest largely cooking first, as otherwise the oats won't end up cooked enough and the liquid will be off. If you don't want to pre-cook in the oven, you can just do it all on the stovetop and simmer a little longer but with the lid on. 

While the filling has plenty flavor, it's worth adding just a touch more in the form of some mustard on the pastry. It's the perfect compliment to the haggis and pork flavors.

Preparing ahead and freezing

You can prepare the sausage rolls ahead and refrigerate them to bake later in the day, if that suits your schedule better. I wouldn't do more than the night before, and don't add the egg wash until right before baking. 

If you want to make even further ahead, you can also freeze them. It's best to freeze them before baking for best results. Freeze on a baking sheet, making sure they are not touching each other, then transfer to a box of freezer bag once frozen.

To cook, you can either defrost them in the fridge overnight or cook them from frozen. From frozen tends to work better for the pastry to not get damp as they defrost, but as suits. If cooking from frozen, add around an extra 10 minutes to the bake time. You can still add eggwash before baking. 

If you have leftover cooked sausage rolls, you can also store them in the fridge for a couple days, or freeze them for longer storage. To re-heat, I'd suggest around 10 minutes in a low oven and check to see how they are doing (around 150C/300F).

These haggis sausage rolls are a tasty twist on the classic. They're easy to make, packed with flavor, and a great mix of juicy pork and haggis filling with crisp, buttery pastry outside. True, they might not be the healthiest, but they are most definitely worth indulging in now and then. 

Try these other tasty finger foods:

• Savory palmiers (another great pastry-based sack, but with cheese and fig jam)
• Vietnamese fried spring rolls (cha gio, a tasty mix of pork, noodles and more in a crisp shell)
• Gougères (tasty cheesy pastries)
• Plus get more snack recipes and British recipes in the archives.

See some of my favorite cooking tools and ingredients in the Caroline's Cooking Amazon store. 

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