There is that scene in the movie Ratatouille where the food critic zaps back in time to remember the taste of his grandmothers ratatouille when he was a boy. I felt a bit like that when I made this Toad in the Hole – we used to eat this dish regularly when I was young and I had not made it for years and years.
– Make the batter with 285ml of milk, 115g of sieved flour, 3 eggs and a pinch of salt. Leave to stand for a while. You can also make it a few hours in advance and leave it in the fridge.
– Heat the oven until very hot (250°) and lightly brown some sausages in a deep ovenproof dish with some dripping (I use a mix of duck fat and sunflower oil).
– Make sure the fat is sizzling and pour the batter over the sausages.
– Close the oven door quickly (and keep it shut) and cook for 20-25 minutes until the batter had risen and golden.
– For the onion gravy, fry some chopped onions. Add some honey and vinegar and reduce. Add some stock and a little Madeira or Sherry.