Anyone venturing into the world of British cuisine will meet a variety of intriguingly named dishes that scarcely hint at the ingredients contained within. King of these oddly monikered machinations comes in the shape of the unsavoury sounding ‘Toad in the Hole.’ To those untrained in the ways of the British kitchen will imagine a gastronomic abomination, however, when prepared correctly, this intriguing baked dish will reward its creator with a set of perfectly cooked sausages floating in a crispy Yorkshire pudding shell. The avid connoisseur will then set this off with mashed potato, veg, and gravy to complete a very wholesome and satisfying meal.
Toad in the Hole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 200g (4) Eggs
- 150g (5oz) All Purpose Flour
- 2g (¼tsp) Salt
- 180g (6oz) Milk
- 20g (1½tbsp) Water
- 300g (10oz) Sausages
- 60g (2oz) Sunflower Oil
- 4 Sprigs of Fresh Rosemary
Instructions
- For best results, make the batter at least 4 hours in advance, preferably, the night before
- Lightly whisk 200g of Eggs, then add 150g Flour and 4g Salt, and continue to whisk into a paste
- Add 180g Milk, and 20g of Water, then whisk until smooth and lump free
- Chill the batter in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours, then let it rest at room temperature for an hour before cooking
- When ready, pre-heat the oven to 200℃ (390°F, Fan 180°C, Gas Mark 6)
- Pour 30g of Sunflower Oil into each of the two baking tins, then carefully place your favourite Sausages in each one so that they fit comfortably. This should accommodate 3 medium sized, or 2 rather large bangers
- Bake the Sausages in the oven for 10 minutes, until lightly browned
- Remove the Sausages from the oven, and increase the temperature to 220℃ (430°F, Fan 200°C, Gas Mark 7). Then, pour half of the batter followed by 2 sprigs of Rosemary into each of the two tins, and immediately return to the oven (don't wait for it to reach peak temperature)
- Bake in the centre of the oven for around 30 minutes until the batter has fully risen and turned a deep golden brown
- Serve with you favourite potatoes, veg and gravy
Nutrition
The Rights and Wrongs of Toad in the Hole
Among the Yorkshire Pudding community, there rages a genuine debate as whether to cook with cold batter or not. On the one hand, warm batter will result in enlarged, crispy puds, and on the other, a chilled batter will give the distinctive cup shape and provide a place to put all kinds of gravy soaked goodness. When it comes to Toad in the Hole, however, things become a little more straightforward.
First we’ll hit on the topic of baking receptacles. It is not uncommon for folks to adopt a regular roasting tin for their sausagy concoction. I however, will always go for a long narrow option with high sides. This will essentially provide lift on both sides of the pan, and result in the sausages floating high amid a cushion of Yorkshire Pudding. Rather than languishing in a semi-cooked base of eggy mess.
With this information in mind, we’ll take another look at the topic of batter. As we effectively want the batter to rise on all fronts, this means that warm batter will win out every time. For this reason then, the batter should reach room temperature before the bake.
Choose your Sausages Wisely
Whenever making any dish, there’s no point in half-assing any of the key components. With this in mind, hit up your favourite sausage vendor and select a batch of premium bangers made with the best cuts of pork, and seasoned with interesting herbs and spices.
Selecting the Perfect Toad in the Hole Baking Tin
As mentioned earlier, my preference leans towards using long, narrow baking tins with high sides. This selection will allow the Yorkshire Pudding element to rise on all sides, and elevate the sausages in a glorious, crispy cocoon.
The tins I have selected specifically for this purpose are 2 high quality baking vessels that measure 27.5cm long, 9.5cm wide, 5.5cm tall, and look a lot look these ones I found online. If however, you cannot locate something similar, feel free to experiment with what you find at home.
Now, armed with this new knowledge, the time has come to venture into the world of intriguingly named British food things.
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