Although we’re not a sporty family, we are quite the couch sport enthusiasts and love nothing more than cuddling up to catch a couple of Wimbledon matches or a Formula One race. With the Olympics coming up, I foresee us spending quite some time in this position and, of course, we’ll need sustenance.
In our house, TV treats or snacks may simply be a block or two of Top Deck or a bowl of home-made malva pudding with custard.
But if we’re in for the long haul, I have a couple of tricks up my sleeve. Since London’s the host this time around, I’m going to make a batch of my no-fuss sausage rolls for opening night.
I was taught at a young age how to make traditional sausage rolls; all you need is a packet of pork bangers from Woolies, a roll of good quality all-butter puff pastry (Woolies of course) and an egg.
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Push the sausage meat from the casings and roll out the pastry on a lightly floured board.
Cut the pastry lengthways down the middle. Spread the sausage meat over both pieces of pastry, then bring the edges together from right to left and pinch them closed.
Brush with lightly beaten egg and cut into sausage rolls. Place on a greased baking tray, seams facing down, and bake until puffed and golden – about 20 minutes. Eat them straight away with All Gold tomato sauce.
I also love crispy, spicy and piping hot samoosas. I don’t often make them, but sometimes I order a box full and serve them with Mrs Balls chutney.
Another good idea is a big bowl of chunky guacamole, especially now that the price of avos is really good. I make mine with plenty of chilli, coriander, garlic and lime and serve it with warmed nacho chips.
You can also cut ready-made wraps or tortillas into triangles (I find using a pair of scissors is easiest), and bake them for a few minutes before serving them with buffalo chicken wings.
This combination is one my fondest food memories, picked up from a visit to the oldest bar in Manhattan, The Old Time Bar, some years ago. I can still taste those sweet-and-sticky chicken wings and have tried to pin down the exact recipe through a lot of trial and error. I think I’ve finally got it.
Marinate a large pack of free-range chicken wings in a mixture of brown sugar, garlic, vinegar and Tabasco (I like to separate the wing tip from the rest of the wing).
Place on a greased baking tray and roast at 180°C until the meat just about falls off the bone. Serve with the tortillas. That’s it.
They go really well with my new favourite drink: Champagne glasses filled with a tot of lemon syrup and topped with chilled sparkling wine.
Thank you all for sharing your favourite toasted cheese sarmies last week! I will definitely be trying them out and adding them to my quick TV treats while I cheer on our sports heroes.
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I’d also love to hear what you like to serve to family and friends when they come over to watch a game. Email me at Abigail.donnelly@newmediapub.co.za
Happy snacking!
Abigail
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