PICCALILLI RECIPES

Boil the macaroni according to the instructions on the packet. Drain in a colander, then rinse under cold running water to stop it from sticking together. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas mark 7. Have a 23 x 23cm casserole dish or ovenproof dish at the ready.

Meanwhile put a non-stick pan on the hob and add the cheese. Keep stirring all the time while the cheese melts gently. As soon as the cheese has melted, add all the cooked pasta and mix through.

Now add the egg and stir to cook it through and mix it with the cheese mixture. This makes the dish lovely and rich.

Before adding the piccalilli, put it into a bowl and squash it with the back of a fork. Some bits can be very sharp, so you want to distribute it rather than have someone bite into a very sharp bit of cauliflower. If you are having difficulty, snip the larger bits with scissors.

Add the piccalilli to the pasta mixture along with the cream cheese, onion seeds and salt. Mix well, then pour into the casserole dish and smooth the surface so it's level.

To make the crispy topping, melt the butter. Add the breadcrumbs and mix through till the breadcrumbs are roughly coated.

Sprinkle the crumbs over the macaroni cheese and bake for 30 minutes, until the top is all golden.

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and add the onions. Cook gently for about 20 minutes until soft and golden brown. Add the sage leaves, cook for a couple of minutes more and then spread out on a plate to cool.
2. With a sharp knife, slit the skins of the sausages and pop the meat out. Put it in a mixing bowl with the cooled sage and onion mix and the breadcrumbs. Add a good grating of nutmeg, then scrunch well with your clean hands to mix together.
3. On a floured work surface, roll the pastry out into a big rectangle as thick as a pound coin and cut it lengthways into two long, even rectangles. Roll the mixture into sausage shapes with your hands and lay along the centre of each rectangle.
4. Mix the egg and milk and brush the pastry with the mixture, then fold one side of the pastry over, wrapping the filling inside. Press down with your fingers or the edge of a spoon to seal the join.
5. Cut the long rolls into the sizes you want and space them out on a baking tray. Brush with the rest of the egg wash and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until puffed, golden and cooked through. Serve with piccalilli and a cress salad.
6. Tip: Lamb or beef sausages work just as well in this recipe if you don’t fancy pork.

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and add the onions. Cook gently for about 20 minutes until soft and golden brown. Add the sage leaves, cook for a couple of minutes more and then spread out on a plate to cool.
2. With a sharp knife, slit the skins of the sausages and pop the meat out. Put it in a mixing bowl with the cooled sage and onion mix and the breadcrumbs. Add a good grating of nutmeg, then scrunch well with your clean hands to mix together.
3. On a floured work surface, roll the pastry out into a big rectangle as thick as a pound coin and cut it lengthways into two long, even rectangles. Roll the mixture into sausage shapes with your hands and lay along the centre of each rectangle.
4. Mix the egg and milk and brush the pastry with the mixture, then fold one side of the pastry over, wrapping the filling inside. Press down with your fingers or the edge of a spoon to seal the join.
5. Cut the long rolls into the sizes you want and space them out on a baking tray. Brush with the rest of the egg wash and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until puffed, golden and cooked through. Serve with piccalilli and a cress salad.
6. Tip: Lamb or beef sausages work just as well in this recipe if you don’t fancy pork.