flipToad in the hole (sausages in Yorkshire batter)
Toad in the hole (sausages in Yorkshire batter)
Why this dish? In a household of seven children where philosophy was discussed even at the table, a straightforward, cheap, and filling dish was needed. Toad in the hole, sausages nestled in a batter that puffs up in the oven, is the very type of post-war English family meal that Anscombe shared unceremoniously with students and colleagues invited to dinner.
Golden sausages set in a Yorkshire pudding batter that swells and cracks in the oven, served with a brown onion gravy. Robust, comforting, and unpretentious.
Sit down, don't beat about the bush. There's no finickiness in this house: seven children, students turning up without warning, and an oven that only asks to work for you. The secret, mark my words, is that the fat must sizzle, almost smoke, before you pour in the batter — otherwise it won't rise, and a batter that doesn't rise is a moral as much as a culinary failure. You drench it in onion gravy, cut the bread, and pick up the discussion where you left off.
- •Pork sausages from the butcher — a fine plateful (heart of the dish)
- •Flour — a large cup (batter base)
- •Eggs — two or three (binder and rise)
- •Milk — enough to slacken the batter (moisture)
- •Dripping or lard — a good spoonful (hot fat)
- •Onions — two (brown sauce)
Toad in the hole (sausages in Yorkshire batter)
Golden sausages set in a Yorkshire pudding batter that swells and cracks in the oven, served with a brown onion gravy. Robust, comforting, and unpretentious.
Why this dish? In a household of seven children where philosophy was discussed even at the table, a straightforward, cheap, and filling dish was needed. Toad in the hole, sausages nestled in a batter that puffs up in the oven, is the very type of post-war English family meal that Anscombe shared unceremoniously with students and colleagues invited to dinner.
Sit down, don't beat about the bush. There's no finickiness in this house: seven children, students turning up without warning, and an oven that only asks to work for you. The secret, mark my words, is that the fat must sizzle, almost smoke, before you pour in the batter — otherwise it won't rise, and a batter that doesn't rise is a moral as much as a culinary failure. You drench it in onion gravy, cut the bread, and pick up the discussion where you left off.
Ingredients (period version)
- Pork sausages from the butcher — a fine plateful (heart of the dish)
- Flour — a large cup (batter base)
- Eggs — two or three (binder and rise)
- Milk — enough to slacken the batter (moisture)
- Dripping or lard — a good spoonful (hot fat)
- Onions — two (brown sauce)
Ingredients
- Pork sausages (chipolatas or Toulouse) — 8 (heart of the dish)
- Plain flour — 140 g (batter base)
- Eggs — 3 (binder and rise)
- Milk — 200 ml (moisture)
- Vegetable oil or duck fat — 3 tbsp (hot fat)
- Onions — 2 large (brown sauce)
- Beef stock + 1 tsp Marmite — 300 ml (umami sauce)
Method
- Prepare the batter: whisk flour, eggs, milk and a pinch of salt until smooth as crêpe batter. Leave to rest for 30 min.
- Brown the sausages in an ovenproof dish with the oil at 220°C for 10 min.
- Remove the dish: the fat must be smoking hot. Immediately pour the batter around the sausages without opening the oven again.
- Bake for 25-30 min without opening the door, until the batter is risen and golden.
- Meanwhile, melt the sliced onions over low heat, add the stock with Marmite, reduce to a coating sauce.
- Serve the toad in the hole piping hot, drizzled with onion gravy.
How it was made : The dish gets its comical name from the sausages poking through the batter like toads. Born from thrifty cooking (leftover meat was once buried in it), it became a family staple by the 19th century. Under rationing, housewives stretched the batter to feed everyone with fewer sausages.
The contemporary twist : Add a few sprigs of rosemary and red onion to the hot fat; serve with an onion gravy caramelised with balsamic vinegar for a sweet-sour note.
Sources : Jane Grigson, English Food (1974) · Florence White, Good Things in England (1932)
Elizabeth Anscombe · Charactorium
