Pigs in Blankets Three Ways

Ditch the 70s cocktail franks and embrace these delicious pigs in blankets, made with pork chipolatas, streaky smoked bacon, and your choice of THREE different fillings! Whether you choose the grainy mustard, salsa verde or apple filling, all these little piggies are ‘blanketed’ in a crisp, buttery, and utterly delicious puff pastry that will delight your tastebuds and bring endless joy to your family and friends.

Serves: 16
Prep/Cook Time: 1hr 5min + chilling time
Skill Level: Easy

Ingredients

1 (445g packet) Carême Sour Cream Shortcrust Pastry, defrosted
8 rashers streaky smoky bacon, halved
16 pork chipolatas
1 egg, beaten, for glaze.
To make grainy mustard gremolata
¼ cup grainy Dijon mustard
1 cup parsley
1 tablespoon baby capers, rinsed
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Zest of 1 lemon.
To make salsa verde & parmesan
2 tablespoons baby capers
2 tablespoons baby cornichons, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
½ cup chopped basil
½ cup chopped parsley
Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
¼ cup lemon juice
½ teaspoon chilli flakes (optional)
½ cup parmesan, finely grated.
To make apple, fennel, and sage
1 160g jar apple sauce
3 teaspoons ground fennel
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon dried sage
Fennel seeds, to garnish

Method

Preheat oven to 220ºC (200ºC fan-forced). Line a baking tray with baking paper.

For the gremolata:

Place the mustard, parsley, capers, garlic into a small food processor and zest together, pulsing until the mixture is smooth and well combined.

For the salsa verde:

Place the capers, cornichons, garlic, basil, parsley, zest, juice, and chilli into a small food processor, pulsing until the mixture is smooth and well combined. Add parmesan, stirring to combine.

For the apple sauce:

Place the apple sauce, fennel, garlic, and sage into a small mixing bowl, stirring to combine.

To complete the pigs in blankets:

Unroll the pastry sheet and place it onto a lightly dusted work surface, then dust lightly with flour.
With the pastry sheet in front of you, cut it in half length-ways, then cut each half into 8 rectangles (16 in total, 6.5cm x 12.5cm approx.).
Spread your choice of sauce over each rectangle, leaving a 1cm border at the top of each rectangle.
Roll each chipolata up in half a rasher of bacon, then place them in the centre of the prepared pastry rectangles.
Firmly bring the borderless side of the pastry up against the chipolata and lightly brush the outside of the pastry with egg glaze. Repeat with the other side, firmly bringing the remaining pastry up and over the glazed pastry, creating a tight seal (ideally with a 1.5cm overlap to create a seam).
Repeat the process with the remaining chipolatas, then place them onto the prepared baking tray, seam side down.
Using kitchen scissors, snip three air holes into the top of each pastry, then brush the outside with egg glaze. Place in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
Once chilled, place the pigs in blankets into the oven for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 180ºC (160ºC fan-forced) for 25 minutes, or until the pastry is golden.