Saucisson en Croute

This rustic, French dish is really just a classier version of what we Americans call Pigs-in-a-Blanket, and the recipe couldn't be much easier.

For eight, you'll need:

+ 4 chicken sausages* (get the fully cooked kind) or 1 small kielbasa
+ 1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed
+ 1 egg


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Beat the egg in a bowl; set aside. If using chicken sausages, slice each one in half. If using kielbasa, slice it into 8 3-to-4 inch slices. Cut the puff pastry into 8 rectangles of equal size, and shape one around each sausage segment. Arrange evenly on a baking sheet, making sure that none of the sausages are touching. Brush the tops with egg wash.

Bake for 25 minutes. Turn the broiler on (and the oven off, if your oven allows both to be on at once), crack the oven door, and broil for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before eating; enjoy!

Great as a finger food at a party, served with country-style coarse mustard, or alongside a cool salad or side dish. (I served mine with Balsamic Cucumber-Apple Relish: 2 cucumbers (halved, seeded and diced), 1/2 green apple (cored and diced), 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of honey and liberal amounts to S&P, to taste.)


* There are some chicken sausages in most grocery stores now with a huge variety of flavors: I used a smoked chicken sausage with apples and Chardonnay.