Toad in the Hole

This is one of those dishes that has a funny name and looks hilarious, but once cooked is pronounced excellent by anyone who eats it. Since I tried this dish out for this column I’ve been requested to make it every week. Kids and dads love it, and it’s surprisingly easy to cook.

The name Toad in the Hole is thought to have come about because the sausages peering out from the batter resemble a toad sticking its head out of a hole. Apparently, it was once called Frog in the Hole and can sometimes be referred to as Sausage Toad.

Basically, the recipe uses sausages and batter similar to the one you make Yorkshire pudding with, and you must serve it with an onion gravy.

I opted to make a more modern version of onion gravy using balsamic glaze, which I highly recommend. Mr you could simply saute the onions in butter and serve them on top of the pudding.

Toad in the Hole

• 115g flour

• 285ml milk

• 3 eggs

• Pinch of salt

• Lard, dripping, or sunflower or rice bran oil

• 8 really nice sausages

1. Slowly whisk the flour into the milk, then whisk in the eggs one by one until you have a lovely yellow batter. Add a pinch of salt and set to one side for at least an hour.

2. Put enough fat or oil into the bottom of a deep dish (it must have high sides as the batter will rise) so that it will cover about 1cm from the bottom. This is no time to skimp on fat or oil.

3. Place the dish in an oven heated to 240°C. Put the sausages in and put back in the oven until they are
a light golden colour – but not fully cooked – for about 10 minutes.

4. At this stage, carefully remove the dish from the oven, making sure you don’t pour hot fat or oil all over yourself. Pour the batter all over the sausages.

5. Return to the hot oven and cook for about 20 minutes or until the batter has risen and is a very crisp golden brown.

Onion Gravy

• 2 large onions, peeled and sliced

• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely sliced

• 1 tbsp balsamic glaze or

• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

• 25g butter

1. Saute the onions and garlic in the butter until they are soft and clear, but do not brown. This should take about five minutes.

2. Pour on 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar glaze – or, if you don’t have that, use 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar – and cook over a low heat until it’s thick and gluggy. Serve over the Toad in the Hole.

Do you have a Nana recipe you’d like to share with me? I’d love to hear about it. Email me at: wendyl.nissen@nzww.co.nz or write to Nana’s Pantry, NZWW, Po Box 90119, Victoria St West, Auckland 1142