To celebrate British sausage week this week here are some cooking hints and tips:

Ten top ideas for sausage week...

1. Home made sausage rolls - Buy some ready made puff pastry and roll out to 5mm thick. Choose your favorite fresh sausages, squeeze out the filling onto the pastry and fold over using beaten egg to stick. Brush with egg on top and bake for about 20 minutes until puffed up and golden.
2. Cassoulet – sausage cassoulet is an amazing comfort food! See Jamie’s “quick time sausage cassoulet” recipe for a delicious winter treat.
3. Bonfire party snacks – cut some thick Cumberland sausages into chunks and wrap each one in half a strip of pancetta. Brush with maple syrup, bake in the oven and serve on cocktail sticks for a sticky porky treat.
4. Toad in the hole – all time winter classic. Brown your sausages first, whip up a quick batter (Jamie’s one cup mix is so easy), pour over sausages in a hot oiled roasting tin and bake for bout 20 min at full whack. See Jamie's recipe for "toad in the hole"
5. Lunchbox sausages – cook a whole pack of your favorite sausages, cover with foil and keep in the fridge to use as lunchbox snacks through the week.
6. Quick stuffing – use a good tasty sausage such as a Toulouse or similar, squeeze out the filling and mix with a few breadcrumbs and any other herbs you like. Roll into balls and cook alongside your chicken or turkey.
7. Best ever sausage sandwich – fry or grill your favorite sausages, then cut them through the center into 2 lengths. Sandwich between thick cut fresh bread with rocket, tomato chutney and a little scraping of English mustard.
8. Sausage Pasta – chop up some decent sausages, preferably some with lots of lovely herbs. Use in place of minced beef for a delicious ragu bolognaise. Also see Jamie's recipe for "proper blokes' sausage fusilli"
9. Sausage Pizza – chop your favorite sausages into small chunks and use as a pizza topping. Make sure they are cooked through when your pizza is done.
10. Catherine Wheel - For a real show stopper, buy a string of sausages and unravel the joins. Squeeze the meat evenly along the whole length of the chain and roll into a big spiral. Stuff some fresh herbs between the curls and hold in place with a skewer. Bake in a hot oven until nicely browned, then slice and serve like a pizza!

Top Tips...

If you’re buying sausages from a supermarket, always read the label. Things to look for include:

- How much meat is in them? Good sausages should be at least 85%.
- Have they had anything odd added? E.g. additional pork fat.
- Check they don’t have flavourings... decent sausages shouldn’t need them.
- Where is the meat from? Its always best to buy British if you can.
- What type of pork is it? Higher welfare pigs such as freedom food or free range live healthier, happier lives.

About the author: Daniel Nowland works for the Food Team

For more information on Jamie's range of sausages.