Categories: needs improvement, tea, with mash

Ingredients

• 6 good-quality pork sausages
• 1 tablespoon oil (if necessary)
• 75 g plain flour
• 1 large egg
• 75 ml semi-skimmed milk
• salt and freshly milled black pepper

Directions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 220°C

2. Begin by making the batter, and to do this sieve the flour into a large bowl, holding the sieve up high to give the flour a good airing. Now, with the back of a spoon, make a well in the centre, break the egg into it and add some salt and pepper.

3. Now, measure the milk and 55 ml water in a measuring jug, then, using an electric hand whisk on a slow speed, begin to whisk the egg into the flour – as you whisk, the flour around the edges will slowly be incorporated. Then add the liquid gradually, stopping to scrape the flour into the mixture.

4. Whisk until the batter is smooth. Now the batter is ready for use, and although it’s been rumoured that batter left to stand is better, I have never found this, so just make it whenever it’s convenient.

5. Next arrange the sausages in the roasting tin, put in the oven and set a timer for 10 minutes. When the timer goes off, remove the sausages from the oven.

6. Now place the roasting tin containing the sausages over direct heat turned to medium and, if the sausages haven’t released much fat, add the tablespoon of oil. When the tin is really hot and the oil is beginning to shimmer – it must be searing hot – quickly pour the batter in all around the sausages. Immediately return the roasting tin to the oven, this time on the highest shelf, and cook the whole thing for 30 minutes.

7. When the toad is ready, it should be puffed brown and crisp and the centre should look cooked and not too squidgy.

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