CarolCooks2…in my kitchen…Todays Recipe “Toad in the Hole “

A recipe learnt from my mum…Toad in the Hole…

We British have a way with words and we have a few strange sounding names for some of our food dishes…take ‘Spotted Dick”,  a “One-eyed Sandwich” ‘Stargazy Pie” or “Bubble and Squeak”….all foods of my childhood…

Toad in the Hole dates back to the 18th century and was probably initial y a way of eeking out the meat…any meat like beef, mutton or offal was used originally although my mother only used sausages and maybe added some onions to the batter…

The dish with leftover meat was originally not called toad in the hole. In the 1787 book A Provincial Glossary, for example, it was referred to as “meat boiled in a crust”. The first mention of the word “hole”, outside of Pigeons in a Hole found in the cookbook by Hannah Glasse, appeared in the 1900 publication Notes & Queries, which described the dish as a “batter-pudding with a hole in the middle containing meat”. Despite popular belief, there is no record of the dish ever being made with toad the origin of the name is unclear, but it may refer to the way toads wait for their prey in their burrows, making their heads visible in the earth, just like the sausages peep through the batter. It may also derive from the “entombed animal” phenomenon of live frogs or toads being found encased in stone, which was a scientific fad of the late 18th century…source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toad_in_the_hole.

I can assure everyone that no toads were hurt in the making of this dish…

Of course, this dish can be made any size for 1, 2 or 10 people…just adjust the amount of batter you make accordingly for this recipe I am assuming 4/5 people depending on their appetite and the size of your sausages…x

Ingredients:

12 Chipolatas or sausages of your choice

Splash olive oil

Batter:

  • 140g plain flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 175ml milk
  • good pinch of salt

Lets Cook!

Firstly let’s get the oven on to heat up… 220C/200C fan/gas 7.

Put the chipolatas in a 20 x 30cm roasting tin with a splash of oil and bake for 15 mins until browned.

Meanwhile, make the batter. Tip the flour into a bowl with ½ tsp salt, make a well in the middle and crack the eggs into it. You can which by hand or use an electric whisk to mix it together, then slowly add the milk, whisking all the time.

Leave to stand until the sausages are nice and brown.

Remove the sausages from the oven – be careful because the fat will be sizzling hot – but if it isn’t, put the tin on the hob for a few minutes until it is…it is important that the oil is hot and sizzling before you tip in your batter…it all helps the pudding to rise…

Pour in the batter mix, transfer to the top shelf of the oven, then cook for 25-30 mins, until risen and golden. Serve with gravy and your favourite veg and or some creamy mashed potato…

That’s it!…nice and easy to make …Enjoy your “Toad in the Hole”

 

 

43 thoughts on “CarolCooks2…in my kitchen…Todays Recipe “Toad in the Hole “”

  1. Pingback: CarolCooks2…in my kitchen…Todays Recipe “Toad in the Hole “ – CYBERWATCH

  4. Pingback: CarolCooks2 weekly roundup…November 14th-20th 2021…Culinary A-Z, Recipes for “Toad in the Hole”, “Fig Newtons”, Music and Carol’s Green Kitchen “Christmas Special”… | Retired? No one told me!

    1. CarolCooks2 Post author

      Not tried it with non diary milk I hope it rises…I tried almond milk a few weeks ago (I love) almonds but generally don’t drink milk but loved this it was really nice and didn’t upset me like cows milk does 🙂 x

      Liked by 1 person

  6. Pingback: CarolCooks2…in my kitchen…Todays Recipe “Toad in the Hole “ — Retired? No one told me! – johnrieber

  8. beetleypete

    We have this a couple of times a month. Sometimes Julie cooks it, other times I buy it prepared. Marks and Spencer’s version takes some beating! 🙂
    Best wishes, Pete. x

    Liked by 1 person

  9. Clive

    One of my favourites. My Mum used to make a great one and I’ve always enjoyed it. Interesting to see the ‘pigs in blankets’ suggestions – here, that is chipolatas wrapped in bacon rashers, baked in the oven. It’s strange how countries change the names of things, isn’t it.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. CarolCooks2 Post author

      It seems everyone loves a toad in the hole it caused great amusement when we put on our menu.. I agree there are strange names for food around the world I think its fun.. Have a great weekend, Clive x

      Liked by 1 person

  11. marianbeaman

    Toad is the Hole sounds like a storybook title, not a recipe. Ha!

    Like Pete said, the recipe seems like our Pigs in a Blanket, which I make with Crescent rolls wrapped around a hot dog. Thanks, Carol!

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      1. Cathy Cade

        Oh yes – when my eldest daughter was going through her vegetarian phase, veggie sausage toad and baked bean lasagne were two of the staples that could be prepared alongside meals for the rest of the family.

        Liked by 1 person

  14. Cathy Cade

    I remember when I was small I asked Mum one day what was for dinner I was horrified when she said, “Chopped toad.” At least that was what I heard. (After all, someone who would buy and eat those horribble wriggly eels from the stall in Ridley Road market probably could happilly cook a chopped toad.)
    What she was cooking was lamb chops in batter – my dad. loved a chop toad.
    I can never get a toad to rise. Gran used to cook Yorkshire puds in a big roasting tin, but my Yorkshires only work when I cook them in bun tins.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. CarolCooks2 Post author

      Ridley Row.. I was moaning about markets one day and my hubby took me to Ridley Row.. This Essex girl was hooked.. Maybe your fat isn’t hot enough because it has to sizzle when you pour in the batter..

      Liked by 1 person

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  16. tidalscribe.com

    One of my favourite dishes and I admit I haven’t cooked it for a long time or always got it right. If you get the fat spitting on your arms then it should be hot enough for the batter! And of course it’s important to have really nice sausages, I recommend our butcher up the road, all free range and local!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. CarolCooks2 Post author

      Ouch.. Yes it should.. I like my sausages really well done and lovely farm sausages we used to get Hatfield Broad Oak sausages which were vety good.. You could always make yourself a mini one? ❤️

      Liked by 1 person

  19. petespringerauthor

    We use the phrase “Pigs in a blanket” in America. It refers to sausages, hot dogs, or other meats wrapped in pastry or bread.

    Liked by 1 person

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