Description
Glamorgan sausages are a delicious vegetarian Welsh specialty made from leeks, cheese, and breadcrumbs, coated in flour, egg, and more breadcrumbs, then fried and oven-baked to achieve a crispy golden crust. Perfect as a savory snack or main dish, these sausages are flavorful and satisfying with a lovely thyme and mustard kick.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 50g butter
- 2 large leeks, sliced
- 400g fresh soft white fine breadcrumbs
- 2 tsp thyme leaves
- 4 large eggs, separated
- 400g Caerphilly or strong mature cheddar, finely grated
- 1 heaped tbsp wholegrain or Dijon mustard or 2 tsp English mustard
- 50g plain flour, for dusting
- 100ml vegetable oil for frying, plus a little extra if required
Instructions
- Prepare the leeks: Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat until foaming. Add the sliced leeks with a pinch of salt and fry for 5-10 minutes until the leeks are soft and fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Make the sausage mixture: In a large bowl, combine 200g of the soft breadcrumbs, thyme leaves, egg yolks, grated cheese, mustard, and a generous grinding of black pepper. Stir in the fried leeks along with any butter remaining in the pan. Season with salt and mix thoroughly with your hands until well combined.
- Shape the sausages: Using damp hands, mold the mixture into 12 sausage shapes, ensuring they are firm and evenly sized. Place the shaped sausages on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Freeze for 10 minutes to firm up or chill in the fridge for 30 minutes if you prefer.
- Prepare coating station: While the sausages firm, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt in a shallow bowl until lightly foamy. Spread the flour on a plate and spread the remaining breadcrumbs on another plate.
- Coat the sausages: Dust each chilled sausage in flour, then dip in the egg white mixture, and finally roll in breadcrumbs to coat evenly. Replenish breadcrumbs as needed. Once coated, chill the sausages for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours before frying.
- Fry the sausages: Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) or gas mark 4. Heat the vegetable oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the sausages in batches, gently turning every minute for 4-6 minutes until they are golden brown and crisp all over. Add more oil between batches if necessary.
- Bake the sausages: Transfer the fried sausages to a baking tray and bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes to ensure they are cooked through.
- Freezing option: To freeze, after frying until golden, place the sausages on a tray to cool for a few minutes, then freeze uncovered until solid. Transfer to freezer-proof containers and store up to three months. Cook from frozen in the oven at 180°C for about 25 minutes until piping hot.
Notes
- Using damp hands helps to shape the mixture without it sticking excessively.
- Make sure the sausages are well chilled before coating to help them hold their shape while frying.
- If you don’t have Caerphilly cheese, a strong mature cheddar is a good substitute.
- These sausages can be made ahead and frozen for convenience.
- Adjust the cooking oil as needed to ensure sausages fry evenly and don’t stick.
- Mustard type can be chosen based on preference—wholegrain, Dijon, or English mustard all work well.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Welsh
Keywords: Glamorgan sausages, vegetarian sausages, Welsh recipe, leek sausages, cheese sausages, homemade vegetarian sausages, crispy fried sausages
