Toad in the Hole

Sausages nestling in fluffy, golden, crisp Yorkshire pudding, served with hot onion gravy--one of my favourite traditional English recipes, a fantastic winter warmer and (especially if served with buttery mashed potato) real comfort food! I make this regularly in winter, though there's nothing stopping me fancying it in summer too! Can also be made into little individual sizes using cocktail sausages for the 'toads'. great for kids!

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 100  g flour
• 2  eggs
• 300  ml milk
• 1  pinch salt
• 8 -12  thick good quality sausages
• 25  g  lard (or oil) or 25  g  drippings (or oil)

Directions

1. First place the fat and sausages into a large roasting tin or other oven-proof dish.
2. Cook in a hot oven for 30-40 minutes, shaking occasionally to turn the sausages.
3. Meanwhile prepare the batter. Make a well in the sifted flour and salt, add the egg and a some of the milk and mix to make a smooth paste.
4. Gradually whisk in the rest of the milk to give a smooth batter with the consistency of double cream.
5. Allow this to stand until sausages are cooked.
6. Take out the tin with the sausages, arrange the sausages so that they are spread evenly in the tin.
7. Quickly pour on the batter and return to the oven, cook for 30-40 minutes until puffed up and golden brown.
8. Serve hot with onion gravy (made by slowly caramelising 3 large sliced onions in a frying pan with a little oil and then adding beef stock and red wine, reducing for 20 minutes and then thickening with cornflour and water) a green vegetable and boiled or mashed potatoes.