Serves: 4
The key to a good toad in the hole is to make sure the pan is really hot before pouring in the batter.
Ingredients
- 110g plain flour, sifted
- 4 medium free-range eggs
- 290ml milk
- ½ tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
- 4 good quality herby pork sausages
- 4 rashers pancetta or thin streaky bacon
- 50g dripping or goose fat
Method
- For the batter, put the flour in a mixing bowl and add a little salt and ground black pepper. Whisk together the eggs and milk and slowly whisk the liquid into the flour making sure the batter is smooth. Stir in the rosemary and fennel seeds. Cover and leave to rest in the fridge for 2 hours.
- Heat the oven to 200˚c, fan oven 180˚C, mark 6. Wrap each sausage in a rasher of pancetta or bacon and place in a roasting pan, about 25x20cm. Cook in the oven for about 12-15 minutes until the sausages are lightly coloured. Add the dripping or fat and cook for a further 4-5 minutes. Remove from the oven and place over a medium heat- you want the fat to be really hot before pouring in the batter. Pour over the batter, cook for a minute then place in the oven and roast for about 30-35 minutes until the toad is risen and golden. Serve with onion gravy and English mustard.
