Toad in t'hole

This is a simple family midweek tea...  Nothing fancy but truly delicious and very comforting (very much the kind of food that I was raised on).

Lots of people seem to get freaked out by making yorkshire pudding but so long as the oil and the oven are really, really hot then you can't fail...

Ingredients (serves 4);

1lb (1/2kg) of good quality butcher's sausage
200g plain flour
2 eggs
250ml milk (any will do, but if you're using full fat add 150ml and 100ml water)
2 tblsp vegetable or groundnut oil

Directions;

1) Put the oven on and set to 250C, pour oil into a large roasting tin and place in the oven to heat.

2) To make the batter combine the eggs, milk and flour and whisk, it should form a smooth mix of double cream consistency, add milk or flour if the batter appears too thick or too thin.  Season well.

3) When the oven reaches around 150C add the sausages and allow to colour as the oven continues to heat to 250C.

4) When the oven's up to temperature quickly turn the sausages and pour the batter into the roasting tray (speed is everything here, you do not want the oil to cool), be very careful of splashes.

5) After 10-15 minutes, once the yorkshire pudding's risen and started to crisp, turn the oven down to 180C and allow to cook for a further 20 minutes until the sausages and batter are cooked through.

It's as simple as that!

I serve this with onion gravy (sweat down 1 small onion per portion in butter until they're sweet, add a tablespoon of flour and then stock, stir until thickened) and green veg.  This dish isn't cheffy or pretty, but it's bloody tasty and I'd urge you to try it and make it your own, add onions to the sausages, herbs in the batter, try different sausages etc etc...