Pigs in a blanket are the consummate party hors d’oeuvre, and who doesn’t love them? As it turns out, our brethren on the other side of the pond have their own, slightly larger version: the sausage roll, a common appetizer in European pubs. Rí Rá’s rendition strives for authenticity to placate not only the venue’s Irish clientele, but also its sizeable front-of-house staff from the Emerald Isle.

Executive chef James Sawyer considers the accompanying Guinness mustard sauce particularly praiseworthy. “It’s the real standout feature of the dish. The sauce showcases two traditional Irish ingredients—Guinness and mustard—while nicely complementing the bangers, a sausage most Americans are unfamiliar with.” Familiarize yourself now in the comfort of your own home.

>Rí Rá Mandalay Place, 632-7771. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-3 a.m.; Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 a.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m.-3 a.m.

Sausage Rolls

(serves 1-2)

Ingredients:

2 Irish bangers

1 sheet puff pastry

¼ lb. whole grain mustard

1 pint mayonnaise

2 oz. Guinness beer

1 tbsp. red wine vinegar

2 tsp. Worcestershire

⅛ oz. granulated garlic

drop of Tabasco

dash of dried thyme

dash of chopped parsley

Method: Combine everything except bangers and puff pastry to make Guinness mustard sauce. Mix thoroughly until smooth, and refrigerate.

Par-cook sausage in a pan halfway, for approximately 4-5 minutes. Wrap each sausage separately in puff pastry. Bake in 350-degree oven for 15 minutes until golden brown.

Slice and serve with a side of Guinness mustard sauce.