Sausage and Parmesan Puff Pastries

Here's a recipe that's great for cocktail parties. It's basically a dressed up version of "pigs in a blanket." The richness of the puff pastry is complemented by the savory flavor of the Italian Sausage. This recipe is convenient because you can assemble them the night before, refrigerate overnight, and bake them the day of your party. This recipe will make about 54 puffs.

The original version of this recipe is from "365 Snacks, Hors D'oeuvres, & Appetizers"

SAUSAGE AND PARMESAN PUFF PASTRIES

1 package (17 1/4 ounce) frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
12 ounces fresh Italian sausage (uncooked)
1/3 cup Parmesean cheese, grated

1) Unfold the pastry sheets. Following the fold lines, cut eat sheet into 3 strips. You should have 6 strips that are about 9 1/4 inch by 3 1/4 inches.

2) Make an egg glaze by beating the egg and milk together in a small bowl until blended. Use a pastry brush to apply the glaze to each of the 6 pastry strips. Don't discard the leftover egg glaze.

3) Divide up the sausage into 6 equal portions. Roll each portion into a long log that is the same length as the pastry strips. Place each log in the center of each pastry strip.

4) Sprinkle the cheese on top of each pastry strip. Fold over each strip and pinch together to seal. Using a fork, crimp the edges together to help ensure a tighter seal.

5) Brush each roll with the remaining egg glaze. Place rolls in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

6) At this point, you can either back the rolls right away or keep them refrigerated overnight. When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

7) Cut each roll into 9 equal pieces. Place pieces on a baking sheet about an inch apart from one another. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until the sausage is cooked and the pastry has puffed up and is a nice golden color.