Traditional toad in the hole
- Prepare
- 30 mins to 1 hour
- Cook
- 30 mins to 1 hour
- Serve
- Serves 4–6
Toad in the hole is classic comfort food at its best. Serve hot from the oven with plenty of gravy and steamed vegetables. Antony Worrall Thompson likes to use a lot of eggs in his Yorkshire pudding batter for extra lift, but you could definitely get away with using one less egg if you want, just make sure the uncooked batter is the same thickness as double cream by adding a little more milk, if needed.
For this recipe you will need an oven tin approximately 30x22cm/12x8½in.
Ingredients
- 115g/4oz plain flour
- 4 free-range eggs
- 300ml/½ pint milk (preferably skimmed or semi-skimmed)
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (optional)
- 8 good-quality pork sausages or vegetarian sausages
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard (optional)
- 2 tbsp beef dripping, hard vegetable fat or vegetable oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
To make the batter, sift the flour into a large bowl. Season well with salt and pepper.
Make a well in the centre of the flour and crack in the eggs. Using a fork, gradually beat the eggs into the flour. Slowly whisk in the milk until the batter is the consistency of double cream (you might not need all the milk).
Stir in the thyme. Cover and leave to stand for 30 minutes, or ideally 3–4 hours.
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
Heat a large non-stick pan and cook the sausages over a medium heat until just golden-brown all over – they do not need to be cooked through. (If you don't have a non-stick pan add a little oil.) Turn off the heat and brush the sausages with the mustard, if using. Set aside.
Place the dripping or vegetable fat in an oven tin (approximately 30x22cm/12x8½in) and heat in the oven for 5 minutes or until the dripping is extremely hot.
Add the sausages to the hot tin and pour in the batter. Immediately return the dish to the oven and cook for 35–40 minutes, or until the Yorkshire pudding is well-risen and golden-brown.
Serve seasoned with black pepper alongside steamed vegetables.
Recipe tips
If you're making this recipe for vegetarians, make sure you use vegetable fat or butter and vegetarian sausages.
It's best to use a metal oven tin for this recipe as they conduct heat more efficiently than ceramic or Pyrex baking dishes.
You can brown the sausages in the oven instead of a pan if you prefer.
