TOAD IN THE HOLE

When Grandma was a child, the local pork butcher could be relied upon for his pork sausages, well seasoned but not too spicy, with a good proportion of meat and no chewy gristle. She always hoped they would be cooked in disguise as Toad in the Hole, peeking out of a crisp coating of batter.  Don’t risk opening the oven door until the batter has risen and started to brown or it may collapse.  A flesh plump pork sausage, traditional in England for Toad in the hole, almost all countries sell something similar. You can see them dangling links from a hook at your local butchers.

Serves 4
8 medium pork sausages (about 1½ lb/675g)
1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil, for frying
For the batter
2 eggs
1 cup/125g flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup/60 ml milk, more if needed
10-in/25-cm frying pan or baking dish with a heatproof base

1.Make the batter: Sift the flour with the salt into a medium bowl and make a well in the center. Add the eggs and milk to the well and stir with a whisk, gradually drawing in the flour to make a smooth batter; it should be the consistency of heavy cream so add more milk if needed. Cover the batter and leave to stand for a half hour – it will thicken slightly. Heat the oven to 350˚F/180˚C and set a shelf near the center.

2.Heat the oil in the frying pan, prick the sausages with a fork so they do not burst, and fry them on top of the stove, turning often, until lightly browned on the outside but still red in the center, 4-5 minutes. Take from the heat and pour over the batter.

3.Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the batter is raised and crisp and the sausages are no longer pink when pricked with a fork, 20-25 minutes longer. Do not open the oven during cooking as the batter may fall. Serve while still hot, if possible from the frying pan.