Sausage Bites

These tasty little bites are simple crowd pleasers.  They make delightful appetizers, but can also be served alongside a salad for lunch or dinner.
This recipe is adapted from Taste and Tell.  The original calls for andouille sausage, which my family aren't big fans of.  Luckily, this recipe is super-versitile .  You can use any cooked sausage you like.  I used Johnsonville Chili Cheese sausage for mine.  It's delicious and has so much flavor that no dipping sauce was needed.  Experiment, though - use smoked brats with mustard, kielbasa with chili sauce, Italian sausage with marinara, chicken sausage with bacon and honey mustard - the possibilities are many!

Sausage Bites

Adapted from Taste and Tell

Ingredients:

2 tbsp fine-ground cornmeal

1 egg

1 tbsp water

Flour (for dusting)

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed (1/2 of a 17.3 oz pkg)

6 fully-cooked sausages (I used Johnsonville Chili-Cheese)

36 wooden round toothpicks

Directions:

1.  Line a baking dish or plate with waxed or parchment paper.  Set aside.  Place the cornmeal on a separate plate.  Set aside.

2.  Make an egg wash by beating the egg and water with a fork until well blended.  Set aside.

3.  Roll the pastry into a 12" X 12" square, dusting lightly with flour as needed to prevent sticking.

4.  Cut the pastry in half horizontally, then in thirds vertically, making 6 rectangles.  You will work with one piece at a time.  Keep the others covered to prevent drying.

5.  Brush the pastry piece lightly with egg wash.  Place a sausage on one long end and then roll it up in the pastry.  Press to seal the edge.

6.  Brush the pastry gently & lightly with egg wash.  Roll the pastry in the cornmeal to coat.  Place the pastry on the prepared dish or plate.  Cover to prevent drying.

7.  Repeat Steps 5 & 6 with the remaining pastry and sausages.

8.  Tightly cover the rolled pastries.  Chill for at least 30 minutes.

9.  Preheat the oven to 400°.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

10.  Using a sharp knife, cut the ends off of the rolled pastries (discard).  Insert 6 toothpicks, evenly spaced, into each roll.  Cut each roll into 6 pieces (a toothpick should be in the center of each).

11.  Place the pieces, flat sides down, on the prepared baking sheet.

12.  Bake for 10 minutes, flip, and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

13.  Serve alone or with an appropriate dipping sauce.