1 1/4 pounds bulk country-style sausage
1 teaspoon crumbled dried sage
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
4 hard-boiled large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 raw large eggs, beaten lightly
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
vegetable oil for deep-frying the eggs
In a large bowl combine well the sausage, the sage, the thyme, and the cayenne, divide the mixture into 4 equal portions. Flatten each portion into a thin round. Enclose each hard-boiled egg completely in 1 of the sausage rounds, patting the sausage carefully into place around the egg. Dredge the sausage-coated eggs in the flour, shaking off the excess. Dip them in the raw eggs, letting the excess drip off, and roll them gently in the bread crumbs, coating them well. In a deep fryer heat 2 1/2 inches of the oil to 350 degrees. and fry the Scotch eggs, 2 at a time, turning them and transferring with a slotted spoon onto paper towels to drain. Serve warm or at room temperature.
