It’s an oldie but a goodie, I’ve been preparing this for about six seven years now, the first time I served this to my lovely Lunch Club I secured a proposal of marriage as a result. Inspired I served it at the ON’s rugby club; ready to be tackled off my feet… ah well not this time.
This is a layer of festive sausage meat, a layer of turkey, finished with sausage meat wrapped in puff pastry. Can serve hot or cold, great as a bring along contribution to a party, (those were the days). Christmas eve or Boxing day tea alongside some chutneys, winter salad or good old roasties. It can also be made in a pie dish to share or individuals pies. We like the loaf tin, perfect for slicing and seeing the different meaty layers.
Method
- Grab a greased loaf tin, line with puff pastry cover with baking paper and baking beans and blind bake in a hot oven for about 10 mins – (carefully) remove the paper hot baking beans and pop back in for another 10mins.
- Cook off a couple of rashers of chopped bacon in a pan and set aside.
- Leave the fat released from the bacon in the pan and add a drop of oil before adding diced onions with thyme let that cook gently till soft and translucent then take off the heat.
- Grab your sausage meat, add breadcrumbs, add lemon zest, some cranberries, ready to eat apricots, and of course some chestnuts for festive flavour, texture and colour. Get your hands in there and combine the ingredients. As for quantities make them up! This is your food and if you love cranberries by all means throw an extra handful in, if you don’t want apricots leave them out. As long as the consistency remains gooey and sticky then you’re good. Too dry? Throw an egg in or apricot jam with work too. Too wet? Add some more breadcrumbs
- Traditionally next layer is turkey, although I prefer chicken.
- Just slice into strips like you would if preparing a stir fry. I usually just add a little seasoning to this layer as the flavour is all in the sausage meat.
- Spoon enough sausage meat to cover the bottom third of your pastry lined loaf tin. Then follow with a layer of Turkey slices and finish with remaining sausage meat.
- Roll out a puff pastry lid and lay over the top sealing with a beaten egg. Cut out some decorative shapes for the lid and glaze with egg. I love stars and hearts, can do leaves, trees. Have fun with it.
- Pop into a hot oven at 190 for a good 45-50 mins to ensure the meat is cooked through.
- Leave in the loaf tin till cooled – this will require some discipline as it will smell irresistible.
Vegan Christmas Loaf.
Swap out the meat for Linda alternatives and glaze with vegan milk.
Honestly I can’t help but eye roll when people lose their minds at having to cook vegan. It’s so much easier to handle the ingredients, they are generally cheaper to buy and take less time to cook!
If you give this festive recipe a try, let us know how you get on in the comments! We always love hearing your feedback on recipes and blogs we have shared.
Or, if you would like us to prepare you a Christmas Loaf, we will be taking orders from Monday the 14th through our website until Wednesday the 16th. Your Christmas Loaf will then be delivered to doorsteps across Northampton on Friday the 18th
Warmest wishes
Shannon and Liz
