These gluten, vegan ‘sausages’ rolls, made of cooked red lentils and roasted pepper, are perfect for packed lunches – you can swap the filling for sausagemeat, if you prefer.
Made with crisp coconut pastry, these rolls are filled with ‘sausages’ made of cooked red lentils and roasted pepper and flavoured with paprika and parsley. Smaller ones make great party food, or make bigger ones for packed lunches. You can swap the filling for sausagemeat, if you prefer.
This recipe is an extract from Gluten-Free Kitchen by Catherine Atkinson (isbn 9780754834816, Lorenz Books, £15).
Put the lentils in a bowl, cover with plenty of cold water and rinse well. Tip into a strainer and drain, then transfer to a large pan. Pour in the stock.
Bring to the boil, cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer for 15 minutes, until all the stock has been absorbed. Remove the lid and cook over a low heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
At the end of the cooking time the lentil mixture should be fairly dry, with no excess liquid. Tip the mixture into a large mixing bowl and spread it out as much as possible to allow the steam to evaporate. Stir occasionally as the mixture cools.
While the lentils are cooking, preheat a grill to high. Halve the pepper, then remove the seeds and core. Place the halves skin side up on a baking sheet and grill for about 10 minutes, moving occasionally, until the skin is blackened all over. Put the pepper in a plastic bag, seal the top and leave to steam for 5 minutes – this will help to loosen the skin.
Peel away the skin from the pepper halves and chop the flesh finely. Add to the lentils with the breadcrumbs, smoked paprika, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well. Cover and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/Gas 6 and line a baking sheet with baking parchment.
Roll out the pastry between two pieces of baking parchment to a rectangle slightly larger than 30 x 25cm/ 12 x 10in. Trim the edges straight, then cut the pastry lengthwise into two strips.
Divide the cooled lentil mixture in half. Shape one half into a long sausage shape along the middle of one of the pastry strips. Brush the long edges of the pastry with soya or rice milk. With the help of the baking parchment, roll up the pastry and gently press along the seam with your fingers or a fork to seal. Repeat with the remaining pastry strip and lentil mixture.
Brush the outside of the rolls with a little soya or rice milk, to glaze. Using a sharp knife, cut each long roll into five 6cm/2½in rolls or ten 2.5cm/1in rolls. Make two or three small slits in the top of each one, sprinkle with sesame seeds, if liked, then gently transfer the rolls to the baking sheet.
Bake for 15–20 minutes or until the pastry is lightly coloured and cooked though. Serve hot or cold.
Gill Meller
