No toads were harmed whilst making this dish.
Toad in the Hole sounds disgusting, doesn’t look an awful lot better but it is a very tasty and economical meal. This isn’t something which I was given as a child, in fact I must have been over 20 when I first tasted it as that’s when I made it for my husband. It had been a staple of his childhood. My mother regarded it as TOO ENGLISH for us – being Scots and I think she objected to the pork meat which ‘link’ sausages usually contained, she preferred Scottish beef. Anyway, I’m sure it’s a well known recipe but in case it’s new to you – here goes!
Cooking time 35: – 40 minutes
Oven temperature:- 450-475 F. Gas Mark 7-8
then 375 F. Gas Mark 4-5
For the Hole
Basic pancake batter:
4 oz plain flour
1 or 2 eggs
half a pint of milk
For the Toad:
A splash of cooking oil
1 lb of sausages
Make the pancake batter in the usual way. Use 2 eggs if you want a richer mix.
Then put the cooking oil into a large metal roasting tin and heat in the oven for about 4 minutes. I cut each sausage into three pieces to make sure they’ll be properly cooked through but I’m sure it isn’t really necessary. Add the sausages to the roasting tin and heat in the oven for about 8-10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and carefully pour the pancake batter mix over the sausages. Cook in a very hot oven for the first 10 minutes, until the mix is beginning to rise. Lower the heat to moderate and bake until golden brown.
The edges will be quite crisp whilst the middle will have a softer consistency. Halved tomatoes or mushrooms can be added in with the sausages if you want to make it a bit different. Serve with a side salad.
I always use really nice sausages, you can get all sorts of different types now of course with added herbs, leeks, wine, beer and even cheese.
The oven temperatures and times may differ slightly depending on your oven.
This post is linked to Weekend Cooking at Beth Fish Reads. Hop over and have a look at what other people have been cooking up.
I’ve always made the Americanized version of these, using Pillsbury Crescent Rolls. Being American, of course it would use pre-packaged food.
Yours sound much better – I’ll try it soon!
Debbie,
I hope you like it if you do make it, it might be one of those ‘acquired taste ‘ things! Did you manage to copy the Temple Grafton photos onto your computer? I wondered if I should have sent you my flickr link.
I LIKE YOUR MOTHER. This would have been a good “pot luck” dish for my many bring your own food get-togethers when our husbands were on maneuvers. The name alone would have brought a laugh.
Lorraine,
My mum was a bit of a character, verging on the eccentric! Yes, it’s quick and easy comfort food, your get-togethers sound like a good laugh but I would’ve hated to have my husband away on manoeuvres – or maybe getting shot at, I take it he was in the army.
Yes. That’s why I lived in Germany a few times. The men were often away training or involved in the Middle East conflicts. Our wives and families were close, for support and friendship during these tough times. We were families to each other.
Lorraine,
I believe it’s the same here for women and families in that position, which is just as well as they need support I’m sure. Where in Germany were you? I’ve been to south Germany a few times, the Nordlingen and Stuttgart areas.
I bet this is delicious! I love sausage, especially herby ones, and just know I would like this dish. I have 2 weeks of vacation coming up in September and will have time to cook – I think I will try toad in the hole!
Anbolyn,
I hope you enjoy it if you do give it a go. I imagine it’ll be a bit cooler where you are come September, I hope so anyway, I don’t think I would be able to eat much at all when it’s so hot, except ice-cream of course!
Oh, Katrina, I would love this dish. Ken hates sausages of every kind imaginable, and I think this quite pig-headed of him.
But when he sneaks away sometime, or maybe when he needs a good “shock,” I’ll make it and serve it, when he gasps, I’ll make sure I have some leftover pizza for him.
Judith (Reader in the Wilderness)
A favourite throughout my childhood too! Beef links went into ours. We didn’t use pork sausages either!
Catchng up gradually with your blog. It’s been a few days since I paid you a visit!
xx
Evee,
I need to do some catching up too.
The men in my family liked that Lorne sausage and the way my mum fried it it was as tough as leather. She didn’t often do beef links, I suppose they were more difficult to fry!
Oh how lovely. It was one of the dishes my late nan was great at and I have never been brave enough to make it myself, along with the fact that I need to watch the weight!
But perhaps some comfort food in the dark days of winter rather than chocolate!
Jo,
It is comfort food and if you want to keep the calories down you can omit the flour in the batter and just have an egg and milk mixture, it’s just like scrambled egg and sausages then but still very tasty.