Toad in a Hole

Toad in a Hole or Toad in the Hole (unsure of which is correct) is one of the great British classics that is made for the heavy gray days found hovering over its shores, especially at this time of year. Today’s recipe is from Jamie Oliver and he added rosemary which makes this only fuller in flavor.  Have you ever tried Toad in a hole or the hole?

While eating this last night, I watched Sleepless in Seattle and the funny thing is, this is a movie of my mother’s generation, so I grew up watching it with her. In fact, my mother and I spent the majority of my youth bonding over movies because we didn’t have a lot of money to do other things. Almost every time there is a film we’ve watched together (most of the time they are stupid romcoms that somehow mean something because they make us think of each other).

Nowadays, half our conversations involve stupid quotes from movies we have shared together, so there I was sitting in my room here in London and she was in New Zealand at work and we were texting quotes back and forth and I laughed every scene I thought she would enjoy. It’s funny the things that comfort even when they aren’t nearby, but I’m grateful for iMessage and the fact that we can chat about the silly things we have always bonded over.

It is unusual that I won’t have seen my mother for three years this coming April, and I’ve not seen my brother in over three years since last September. We are a family on different parts of the globe and though we barely see each other, it doesn’t seem like it’s been that long since we were last in each other’s presence.

Maybe it’s the almost daily text messages or the monthly FaceTime catch ups where we laugh like we’re around the corner from each other.  We aren’t a unique family in this modern world where so many people leave for whatever reason to live in another land and though it can be hard, in those small moments where we’re bonding over inside jokes or stupid movie quotes the world feels a lot smaller.

Toad in a Hole will always be a comfort in years to come when I have heavy gray days overhead and I just want something that’s  sausages wrapped in a savory custard which has had some magical rising. It’s actually not as difficult to make as you could think and the magic of this recipe is that there is a homemade gravy that I would suggest making over and over again for any chance you get.

How to prepare Toad in a Hole

• Get the oil hot: Pour oil into your baking tin and place it in the oven.
• Batter up: Create the toad in the hole batter.
• Sausages: Cook the sausages until the juices run clear.
• Hot sausages: Place the cooked sausages into the baking tin with the hot oil.
• Batter time: Pour the batter into the tin and bake until the batter has risen and is golden.
• Clear onions: Cook the onions until translucent.
• It’s all gravy: Add the remaining gravy ingredients and cook until it is thickened.
• Serve: Remove the well golden toad in a hole from the oven, pour over the grave and serve. Enjoy!

Tips for the best Toad in a Hole

Size of the sausages used in this dish: The large sausages mentioned here are the type you would typically get in a multipack from a supermarket so approximately 400 grams/14 ounces of sausages.

Oil spillage: For this to successfully bake you should place a tray underneath the baking tray in the event of any oil spilling over the edges (this has happened every time in the years I’ve been making this).

Leave that oven door shut: Once the batter has been added to the sausages and is in the oven for the bake, don’t open the oven door until fully cooked. This is vital to the batter rising so just let the oven do it’s thing.

Other British dishes you’ll enjoy

Apple Crumble

Treacle Tart

Banoffee Pie

Toad in a Hole
Adapted from Jamie Oliver
Serves 4

Ingredients:
Batter
310 milliliters / 1 1/4 cups milk
160 grams / 1 cup plain flour
3 eggs
Sausages
Pinch of salt
3/4 – 1 cup sunflower oil
6 large sausages
4 spits fresh rosemary
Onion Gravy
1 large onion, peeled and finely sliced
3 1/2 tablespoons butter
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 vegetable stock bouillon
120 milliliters / 1/2 cup water

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 240C/460F or the highest setting on your oven.

Place a large tray in the bottom shelf of the oven.

Pour enough sunflower oil into a baking tin until it comes approximately 1/2 inch up the sides and place in the oven.

To make the batter, place the milk, flour and eggs into a bowl and whisk to combine until smooth. Set aside.

Meanwhile, place the sausages in a frying pan and cook on medium heat until the juices run clear, approximately 10 minutes.

Add the sausages to the hot sunflower oil in your baking tin very carefully and bake for 3 minutes to come to the same temperature as the oven.

Remove from the oven and pour in  the batter.

Slide the rosemary sprigs into the batter.

Return to the oven and allow to cook until the batter has risen and is golden, approximately 20 minutes. Do not open the oven door until the batter is fully cooked.

Meanwhile, place 1 tablespoon of the butter in frying pan on low heat and add the onion, cooking until translucent and slightly brown, approximately 10 minutes.

Add the remaining butter, garlic, stock bouillon, balsamic and water, stirring to combine.

Increase the heat to high and stir as it simmers, thickens and reduces to your preference.

 

Once thick, remove from the heat and pour in your serving dish.

Remove the toad in a hole from the oven and top with the onion gravy.

Serve immediately.

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