Description
Flaky puff pastry filled with savory Italian sausage, sweet caramelized onions, and melted Gruyere and Parmesan cheese. A delicious appetizer or snack!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
- 1/4 cup dry red wine (like Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot)
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1/4 cup grated Gruyere cheese, plus more for topping
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
- 1 package (14.1 ounces) puff pastry sheets, thawed
- 1 large egg, beaten
- Optional: Everything bagel seasoning, for topping
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet (cast iron preferred) over medium heat.
- Add the thinly sliced onions to the skillet. Avoid overcrowding; caramelize in batches if necessary.
- Sprinkle the sugar, thyme, salt, and pepper over the onions. Stir to combine.
- Reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 30-45 minutes, or until the onions are a deep golden brown and very soft.
- Pour in the red wine and balsamic vinegar. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Simmer for a few minutes, until the liquid has almost completely evaporated. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside to cool slightly.
- In the same skillet, crumble the Italian sausage and cook over medium heat, breaking it up with a spoon.
- Cook until fully browned and no longer pink. Drain off any excess grease.
- Add the slightly cooled caramelized onions to the skillet with the cooked sausage. Stir in the grated Gruyere and Parmesan cheeses. Mix well.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. Cool slightly before assembling.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Lightly flour a clean work surface. Unfold one sheet of puff pastry.
- Spread half of the sausage filling evenly over the puff pastry sheet, leaving a 1/2-inch border along one long edge.
- Starting from the opposite long edge, carefully roll up the puff pastry sheet into a tight log.
- Moisten the border with a little water and press firmly to seal the seam.
- Repeat steps 2-5 with the remaining puff pastry sheet and sausage filling.
- Wrap the sausage roll logs tightly in plastic wrap and chill them in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Remove the sausage roll logs from the refrigerator and unwrap them. Using a sharp knife, slice each log into 1-inch thick rolls.
- Place the sausage rolls on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little space between each roll.
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg with a tablespoon of water to create an egg wash. Brush the tops of the sausage rolls with the egg wash.
- Sprinkle the tops of the sausage rolls with extra grated Gruyere and Parmesan cheese, and/or everything bagel seasoning, if desired.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and the puff pastry is cooked through. The internal temperature of the sausage should reach 160°F (71°C).
- Cool slightly on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Don’t overcrowd the pan when caramelizing the onions.
- Use good quality Italian sausage.
- Chilling the sausage rolls before baking helps them hold their shape.
- Don’t overbake the sausage rolls.
- You can prepare the sausage rolls ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before baking. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months. To bake frozen sausage rolls, simply add a few extra minutes to the baking time.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes