Goat’s Cheese and Red Onion Marmalade Roll-ups

I always used to make my Goats Cheese and Red Onion Marmalade tarts in little pastry cases, or on squares of ready-made Puff Pastry, but I’ve recently started making them differently, and I think these are terrific  – I like them at Christmas time, as a savoury element amongst all the sweet stuff, but they’d also be great for a picnic in the Summer time – give them a go and see what you think

EQUIPMENT:

• Two baking trays, lined with Baking Parchment
• A sharp knife
• Pastry brush

INGREDIENTS: to make between 20-24 pieces

• A packet of ready-rolled Puff Pastry – I use an all-butter one
• A Jar of Red Onion Marmalade – your own https://eatingforireland.com/recipe/red-onion-marmalade-with-wine-and-port/ , or a good-quality Ready-made one.
• A roll or carton of whatever Goat’s Cheese you like best – about 250g
• One egg, lightly beaten

METHOD:                                                                                           

• Heat the oven to 180 degrees fan.
• Remove the pastry from the fridge and unroll it carefully.
• Keep the pastry on its wrapping paper
• Turn it so that the long edge is in front of you
• Slice the Goat’s cheese into long fingers, then place half of them on the edge nearest you.
• Make sure that the cheese goes right out to the edge of the pastry – see picture below.
• Spread a generous amount of Red Onion marmalade along the pastry; again bringing it right out to the edges.

• Once you get to the middle of the pastry sheet, place the second line of Goat’s Cheese, then add another generous layer of Red Onion Marmalade.
• Leave a 2-3 cm gap at the top of the sheet of pastry – this will allow you to make sure the whole roll is sealed before cooking
• Brush the gap generously with the beaten egg

• Beginning at the side nearest you, and using the lining paper, begin to roll the pastry, with its contents, into a sausage shape. The most difficult bit of this is usually the very beginning. Just take your time, and it will be fine.
• Roll the whole thing into a sausage, making sure that the seam is on the underneath surface.
• I often find that it’s best to chill the  whole thing like this for about 20 minutes – it makes the cutting up much easier.
• Using a serrated knife, cut slices about 1-2cms thick, and place each one onto the baking paper-covered baking tray

• Push each slice into a generally circular shape – this will give them a good shape when cooked.

• Brush each slice generously with the beaten egg
• Cook, at 180 degrees fan, for about 20 minutes – I usually check after about 15 minutes, and swap the trays around on their shelves.
• When they are nicely browned, remove the trays from the oven, and allow the Roll-ups to cool on the tray until almost cold.
• Serve, slightly warm, either with a salad for a delicious lunch, or as finger food for a party

NOTES:

• Keep the fully-cooled morsels in layers in a plastic container separated by sheets of baking parchment .
• Reheat them for about 5-10 minutes in a hot oven before serving.