Toad in the Hole
It’s not known when batter puddings – Yorkshire pudding is the most famous – developed, but it must have been inspired by economy. During spit-roasting, a pan was put below the animal or bird to catch the juices and fats, and these were used to baste the roast. Sometimes these fats were used to cook smaller food items, and it must only have been a matter of time before a batter was poured in to make a crisp wrapping for the meat, and to make the meat go further.
The recipe for Yorkshire pudding was first written down in a cookery book in 1737, although it had probably long existed, and toad in the hole must have developed afterwards. The original toad in the hole wasn’t made with sausages, but strips of fresh or leftover meat. Sausages were substituted at some point, and they have become the classic of today. The toad can be baked in a roasting tray, baking dish, or individual tins of about 10 cm (4 in). If making individual toads, there may be some batter left over, so just bake it in separate tins for extra Yorkies. You can use any sausages you like. The home-made Pork Sausages are excellent, or choose good-quality bought pork, lamb or beef sausages.
Toad in the Hole
8 sausages
4 tablespoons cooking oil or lard/dripping
For the Batter
175 g (6 oz) plain flour
Pinch of salt
1 egg
1 egg white
250-300 ml (8-10 fl oz) milk
You need four 10 cm (4 in) individual tins – it’s best to use tins 2 cm (3/4 in) deep – or a small roasting tin or ovenproof dish. Pre-heat the oven to 220°C/425°F/ Gas Mark 7. The batter can be made as far ahead as 24 hours. This gives it time to relax totally and changes the consistency; when using, just quickly re-whisk. However, this is not essential; the timing is up to you — in fact, the batter can be made and instantly used, but I do suggest a minimum rest of 30 minutes.
Sift the flour with the salt. Add the egg and egg white. The egg white will give extra lift to the batter. Whisk in 250 ml (8 fl oz) of the milk; this will give you a very thick batter. To check the correct consistency, simply lift a spoon in and out: the batter should hold and coat the back of a spoon. If it seems to have congealed, add the remaining milk. The batter is now ready to use or rest. If resting, check the consistency again before use, adding a little extra milk if required.
If using small tins, put a little of the cooking oil/fat in a frying-pan and divide the rest of the oil/fat between the small tins. Heat these in the oven. The sausages can now be quickly fried for a minute or two to seal in the flavour and begin t0 colour. Then transfer to the individual tins, ready for the batter. If using a roasting tin or ovenproof dish, simply heat half of the oil/fat and colour the sausages on top of the stove, adding the remaining oil/fat.
To cook the toad in the hole, the fat should be very hot and almost at a smoking stage with the sausages in. Pour in the batter mix to come three-quarters of the way up the sausages. Place in the pre-heated oven and bake individual toads for 20-25 minutes, until well risen and rich in colour. Large toad in the hole in a roasting tray or ovenproof dish should be cooked for 35-45 minutes.
The toad in the hole is now ready to serve. For me, the best accompaniment is Onion Gravy. I like to spoon some into the cooked individual toads or just ladle over the portions of the large toad on the plates. Instead of gravy, some good fried onions also eat well. Just take a large sliced onion and pan-fry in a trickle of oil for 8-10 minutes until well coloured, with little tinges of burnt. Add a good knob of butter and a pinch of demerara sugar. Cook for a further minute or two before seasoning with salt and pepper. The onions are now ready to serve. The perfect accompaniment to toad in the hole is simply buttered garden peas or good mushy peas.
Mini Toad in the Hole
Here’s an alternative toad in the hole dish. These are simple to make and great to serve as canapés at a party.
MAKES 24-30
1 x batter recipe
Butter
3 onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon demerara sugar
Glass of red wine
450 g (1 lb) pork sausages
Salt and pepper
You will need 3 non-stick mini-muffin trays with 12 ‘compartments’. Follow the recipe for toad in the hole, using the same batter quantity and cooking method. Once the puddings are cooked, remove from the oven and keep warm. Heat a frying-pan or wok. Add a knob of butter and, once bubbling, the chopped onions. Shallow-fry until deep brown in colour. Add the sugar and red wine, bring to the boil and reduce until almost dry. Season with salt and pepper.
Remove the skin from the sausages and mix the meat together. This can now be rolled into small balls, 1-2 cm (1/4-3/4 in) in diameter. Now shallow-fry them for just a few minutes until completely golden brown. Make a hole in the Yorkshire puddings and spoon a little onion into each. Place the hot sausage balls on top, leaving a domed finish. The canapés are ready.
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