Toad-in-a-Hole



A friend from England told me about this dish and my family loves it (besides loving the name!).  This is my Americanized version and it is incredibly easy to make.  For the photo above, I grilled the sausage, then cut it into chunks.  For the photo below, I broiled the sausage as whole links in the pan in the oven.

 

Both were delicious.  Be sure to find a good quality sausage to use that is not filled with nitrates or nitrites or MSG.  This dish requires a solid sausage that does not crumble and a thin sausage is recommended.  I use a savory sausage like the one used for chicken sausage gumbo.   The one I used for today's Toad-in-a-Hole was Pederson's Chicken Sausage, Garlic Basil with Sun-dried Tomatoes.  Natural Grocer has a good selection of sausages that work well for this dish.  The English also make an onion beef gravy to serve with the dish.  I have been too lazy to try that yet though it sounds delicious.  Be sure to make gravy with real beef drippings if you try it since bouillon cubes are loaded with MSG. 

Ingredients:

 3 – 6 thin link sausages (use good quality)
1 cup range-free eggs (4 or 5 depending upon size)
1 cup milk

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or ¾ cup soft white wheat berries ground fine)

¼ tsp sea salt

butter (or grease from sausage if you broil it in pan in oven)

 

Grill the sausages.  Heat glass baking dish (7" x 11") in oven.  Place remaining ingredients (except the butter) into blender and process until mixed.  Butter hot baking dish well (~ 1 Tbl per pan).  Place grilled sausages in hot pan and pour batter in immediately.  Bake at 425 °F for 20 minutes.

 

Here is a photo of my friend's 'real' English version!