"Mummy" Mince Pies: Curried Beef & Sweet Potato Sausage Rolls with Charred Sauce

Halloween is just around the corner, and if you're searching for the perfect treat to thrill your ghosts and ghouls, look no further than our "Mummy" Mince Pies with Charred Sauce. These delightful curried beef and sweet potato sausage rolls are not only delicious but are an ideal snack to warm you up on a chilly night. Add a playful, spooky touch to your Halloween get-togethers.

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Each bite reveals a harmonious blend of spices and textures, with the curried beef providing a robust, savoury base and the sweet potato adding a subtle sweetness that balances the flavours perfectly. Imagine crispy, golden pastry intricately wrapped around this savoury filling, creating a mummified appearance that's as entertaining as it is tasty. To top it all off, these pies are accompanied by a delightfully charred, tangy sauce that enhances the dish with a smoky depth and zesty finish.

Your guests will be amazed by the creativity and taste of these unique treats, which not only satisfy the palate but also bring a touch of creativity to your Halloween spread. So, gather your ingredients, sharpen your culinary skills, and prepare to impress—let's get cooking and make this Halloween truly memorable with flavours that will linger long after the night has ended!

To prepare the "Mummy" Mince Pies: Curried Beef & Sweet Potato Sausage Rolls with Charred Sauce

Equipment: Baking sheet, lined with parchment
Preheat the oven to 200C, 180C Fan, 400F, Gas 6

Makes 4 long mummies! (or 8 baby mummies)

Bring a large pan to high heat and add a dash of oil followed by the finely chopped onions. Sauté at a brisk pace for a few minutes to char a little and caramelise.

Turn down the heat, add the minced garlic, and continue sautéing until you smell the garlic come to life.

Add a dash more oil along with the onion powder, curry powder, cayenne powder, and allspice. Let the spices sizzle for a minute or so in the oil before mixing everything together thoroughly. Remove from heat.

Once cool, combine with the beef mince, grated sweet potato, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, and measured amount of salt and pepper. The seasoning for these sausage rolls is super important!

Mix everything together well. You want the mixture to feel like one sticky, creamy-looking unit.

Tip! To test out the balance of flavours and seasoning, fry up a little piece and taste, then adjust as needed before assembling the sausage rolls. Remember the rolls will be encased in pastry, so it the flavours should be nice and strong.

Line up your puff pastry rectangles on a clean work surface with the long edge facing perpendicular to you. Brush each pastry with a very thin layer of Dijon mustard.

Divide the mince mixture into three skinny sausages, fitting each one snuggly into the middle of each of the pastry rectangles.

Cut thin horizontal strands in the on both the right and left sides of the sausage roll (about 1cm wide each). Cross the strands one by one over each other, overlapping the sausage roll to make your unique mummy-inspired braided designs, leaving a little funny gap near the top for eyes.

Brush the whole thing lightly with egg wash, sprinkle with a few poppy seeds, and bake for approximately 30 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through for even baking.

Once baked, decorate further as desired!