Toad in the Hole
Prep time: 50 mins | Serves: 4
Ingredients:
• 8 good-quality pork sausages (about 480–520g total)
• 20ml vegetable oil (for the tin)
• 3 eggs
• 200g plain flour
• 250ml whole milk
• 50ml water
• 3g fine sea salt
• 2g freshly ground black pepper
• 5g fresh thyme leaves (optional)
Onion Gravy (optional but highly recommended)
• 15g unsalted butter
• 5ml vegetable oil
• 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
• 10g plain flour
• 350ml beef or chicken stock
• 5ml Worcestershire sauce
• 2g fine sea salt
• 1g freshly ground black pepper
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 220°C (fan 200°C). In a jug or bowl, whisk eggs, milk, water and 2g salt until smooth. Add flour gradually, whisking until you have a lump-free batter. Season with 1g pepper. Set aside to rest 20–30 minutes while you deal with the sausages and onion gravy.
2. Add 20ml oil to a deep roasting tin (about 20×30cm) and place the sausages in a single layer. Roast in the hot oven for 12–15 minutes, turning once, until lightly browned and the oil is very hot and shimmering. Keep the oven closed as much as possible so the tin and fat stay piping hot.
3. When the sausages are just starting to colour, carefully slide the tin out, keeping the oven door mostly closed. Quickly whisk the batter again, then pour it evenly around the sausages into the hot fat so it sizzles on contact. Sprinkle over thyme leaves if using, season with the remaining 1g salt and 1g pepper, then return the tin to the oven immediately.
4. Bake 25–30 minutes without opening the oven door, until the batter has risen dramatically, is deep golden and crisp around the edges, and the sausages are cooked through. If needed, give it an extra 3–5 minutes to really set and brown but avoid overcooking so the centre stays tender.
5. While the toad in the hole bakes, make the onion gravy. In a pan over medium heat, melt butter with 5ml oil. Add onions and cook 15–20 minutes, stirring often, until very soft and deeply golden. Sprinkle over 10g flour and cook 1–2 minutes, stirring. Gradually whisk in stock, then add Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Simmer 5–8 minutes until glossy and slightly thickened. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve generous squares of toad in the hole with hot onion gravy.
Storage:
Cool completely, then refrigerate toad in the hole and gravy in separate airtight containers for up to 2 days. Reheat the toad in the hole on a baking tray at 180°C for 10–15 minutes until piping hot and crisped at the edges; warm the gravy gently in a pan, adding a splash of water if needed to loosen.
