A quintessential British comfort food! Sausages baked into a light, crispy, fluffy Yorkshire pudding served with creamy mashed potatoes, peas, and a cider and caramelised onion gravy. It's a rustic and satisfying meal perfect for a family dinner.

Prep: 15 minutes / Cook: 45 minutes / Total: 1 hour 45 minutes / Servings: 2 (big portions)

Ingredients

• Plain White Flour 160g
• Eggs 2 large
• Whole Milk 200 ml
• Dried Thyme 1 pinch
• Dried Sage 1 pinch
• Salt 1 pinch
• Pork Sausages 5-6 large
• Sunflower Oil – a generous amount
• Onions – 2 large
• Sugar 2 teaspoons
• Water or pre made gravy mix – approx 750ml
• Red Wine – Spash
• Mashed Potatoes (Left overs so no recipe)
• Peas
• Greens

Cooking Method

Step 1

First, make the batter. Sift 140g of plain flour into a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and crack in the two eggs, then pour in the milk. Whisk from the centre outwards until you have a smooth batter.

Step 2

Season the batter with a pinch each of dried thyme, dried sage, and salt. If the batter seems too thin, whisk in an additional 20-30g of flour. Cover the bowl and let the batter rest for at least one hour, or overnight in the fridge for best results.

Step 3

Preheat your oven to 220°C (fan). To start the gravy, heat a bit of oil and butter in a large pan over medium-high heat. Peel and thinly slice the onions, add them to the pan, and cook to sweat them down. Add a couple of teaspoons of sugar to help them caramelise.

Step 4

Remove the meat from one sausage casing and add it to the pan with the onions. Use a spatula to break up the meat as it cooks. Continue to cook this mixture for 20-30 minutes, stirring frequently until deeply caramelised. Add a splash of water if the mixture starts to stick.

Step 5

Pour about a half centimetre of oil into a large, oven-proof frying pan or roasting tin. Place 4-5 whole sausages in the tin and put it into the preheated oven for about 10 minutes to get nicely browned.

Step 6

Carefully remove the hot tin with the sausages from the oven. Using tongs, set the sausages aside for a moment. Immediately pour the rested batter into the hot tin with the sizzling fat. Quickly arrange the browned sausages back in the batter.

Step 7

Return the pan to the oven and bake at 220°C for 30 minutes. It is crucial that you do not open the oven door during this time, as it can cause the pudding to collapse.

Step 8

While the Toad in the Hole bakes, finish the gravy. Stir a couple of teaspoons of flour into the caramelised onion mixture and cook for a minute. Add the pre-made gravy or water/broth, and simmer for the remaining time, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan to incorporate all the flavourful bits. Simmer for up to 30 minutes in total until it reaches your desired thickness.

Step 9

In the final few minutes, prepare your sides. Gently reheat leftover mashed potatoes with a splash of milk, being careful not to over mix. Warm the peas and any greens in a separate saucepan.

Step 10

Once puffed up and golden brown, remove the Toad in the Hole from the oven. Carefully lift it from the tin onto a board. Serve immediately in large portions with the mashed potatoes, peas, and hot onion gravy on the side.

Additional Notes

For the best rise on your Toad in the Hole, ensure the fat in the baking tin is sizzling hot before you pour in the batter. The batter can be made up to 24 hours in advance and kept in the refrigerator.