Saturday, November 10, 2012

Toad in the hole, in a frying pan


The cast-iron frying pan (28cm) in the picture, like my shallow casserole dish (Steamed fish, spring onion sauce), will go in the oven as well as on the hob. Because my smallest roasting tin was too large for the quantity of batter I needed, I used the frying pan for a toad in the hole.

The batter (for 3 to 4)

100g flour
2 eggs
250ml liquid – 200ml whole milk/50ml water
Salt


In the past I have advocated pouring the flour gradually into the liquid. But, as long as you do not beat the mixture too vigorously, I think that the other way round works fine too. So: fold the eggs into the flour, and gradually add the milk/water mix, blending it with a whisk with each addition. Add salt to taste.

You are supposed to allow the batter to rest for half an hour. The resting helps develop the gluten that will bind it, but may not be necessary.

Heat the pan in a gas mark 6/200C oven, with a couple of tbsps of sunflower oil. After 10 minutes, take out the pan, and put it on the hob, on a low/medium heat. Pour in the batter.

Roll the sausages in a little oil, which will help to prevent the exposed skin from drying and cracking. Place the sausages in the batter, and put the pan back into the hot oven for 30 minutes, or until the batter is set and browned.

The batter does not have such a crispy base as it would have developed in a roasting tin, but is fine in every other respect.


Toad in the hole

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I fried the sausage in the cast iron pan, removed but left the bits and grease. Put the Yorkshire mix in the pan, plopped in the sausages and roasted at 450f.
Turned out perfect and had a nice crispy base.
Used English beef sausage.
Dan-Ottawa-Canada, eh?

Daniel Ottawan said...

I fried the sausage in the cast iron pan, removed but left the bits and grease. Put the Yorkshire mix in the pan, plopped in the sausages and roasted at 450f.
Turned out perfect and had a nice crispy base.
Used English beef sausage.
Dan-Ottawa-Canada, eh?

Nicholas Clee said...

Yes, doing things in that order would work too. I do find, though, that the thinner base of a roasting tin produces a crispier base on the batter. Best wishes, Nick