Though the concept of savory chopped meat wrapped in dough exists in every cuisine, in one way or another — fried, baked or boiled — the British have proudly claimed sausage rolls as their own. Or so says my friend Caroline, an expat Briton who considers herself an expert in such things. (I am always asking her for the English point of view, and she is not shy.)

What is she cooking for the holidays? I asked. Sausage rolls, she said, tons of them. For Caroline, it’s no bother at all to throw together a bit of puff pastry and a batch of sausage meat; she doesn’t even have to measure ingredients, so accustomed is she to the routine.

And it is fairly simple. Form the sausage filling into a long log shape and wrap it with dough, slice into pieces, brush with egg wash and bake till golden.