Nestled in Victoria’s southern foothills of the Dandenong Ranges lies Montague orchard where Ambrosia apples are grown. 

The story of Ambrosia is interesting.  A random tree grew in an orchard in Canada.  Self-propagated in the middle of the row of apple trees. The apple pickers tasted and loved the new apples from the random tree and ate them all (they were a new type so couldn’t go in the regular harvest boxes in the field because they look different).  The pickers noticed the same tree the next year too and the fruit was even better. Eventually the orchardist tasted the new apple – and agreed it was incredible.  

Now it’s a global apple grown all around the world.  Aussie apple growers offer the fruit as a short, tasty season in Australia starting this week. But you need to get in quick as the Ambrosia apple is only in stores for a short time from this week.

Try this delicious recipe below using Ambrosia Apples.

One Pan Roasted Sausages with Ambrosia Apples, Potato and Sage

INGREDIENTS

• 4 Ambrosia™ apples, quartered and cored
• 4 Dutch cream potatoes, roughly chopped
• 12 small pork chipolata sausages (around 550g in total)
• handful of sage leaves, plus extra to serve
• 3 fresh bay leaves
• 3 shallots, peeled and quartered
• 100ml dry white wine
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste

METHOD

• Preheat the oven to 200C / 180C Fan-forced
• Arrange the Ambrosia™ apples, potatoes, sausages, sage, bay leaves and shallots in a large oven-proof dish. Ensure the sausages are mostly sitting on top so they can brown nicely and the herbs are mostly tucked in to avoid them burning.
• Pour in the wine and drizzle with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
• Roast in the preheated oven, uncovered, for 45-50 minutes or until the sausages are golden, the apples tender and the potatoes cooked through. Scatter with some extra sage leaves and serve.

Recipe by Julia Busuttil Nishimura (@juliaostro).