Pigs in Blankets (Make Ahead)

The kids break up from school on Friday and so I’m trying to get a few things done ahead of time in the kitchen that will make food prep easier once everyone is home. I like to go at the kids’ pace for a few days when they finish school. A super easy job to get done ahead of time is to make and freeze your pigs in blankets. It also makes them extra tasty on the big day.

INGREDIENTS
Enough for 2 Adults and 2 Kids
20 chipolata sausages (not previously frozen)
20 slices unsmoked streaky bacon
2 sprigs of rosemary

• I cut 1/3 off the length of the streaky bacon before wrapping each rasher around a sausage. This length can be wrapped around the sausage without going back over itself too much. When you wrap the bacon over itself the fat closest to the sausage doesn’t render so you end up with chewy, unpleasant fat rather than crispy bacon.
• Wrap the longer (2/3 length) piece of bacon around each sausage in a diagonal direction rather than horizontally around the middle. This allows all the fat to render and get crispy. The bacon will shrink as it cooks exposing more of the sausage. Wrap the leftover thirds of bacon into little rolls. These turn into extra crispy little bullets of salty joy!

• Layer the pigs in a Tupperware container (leftover Chinese takeaway tubs are ideal, I get 20 pigs and bacon rolls in 2 tubs) separating each layer with a piece of greaseproof paper. Top each layer with a couple of rosemary cuttings then a final layer of greaseproof paper and the lid. The pigs infuse with the rosemary scent.
• Freeze until December 23rd when you can pop the Tupperware into the fridge to defrost.
• On the big day remove the rosemary then arrange the pigs on a baking tray (use kitchen roll to dry up any water from defrosting) and top with a couple of fresh sprigs of rosemary and cook for 30 minutes in a 195°c (175°c Fan) oven.