A childhood favourite - Toad in the hole

This is a particular hit with my boys and one I think will stand Zach in good stead at university. So I dragged him back into the kitchen to have another go at teaching him a recipe or two! This one I have to say was not as dramatic as the last attempt and we managed to prep and cook the whole meal - including mashed potatoes. This recipe stands or falls by the quality of sausage you use. Serve with onion gravy and mash for the perfect comfort food. 

Ingredients

250g plain flour

4 medium free-range eggs

1 tbsp wholegrain mustard

300-350ml whole milk

A few fresh thyme sprigs, leaves stripped

1 tbsp olive oil

8 fat, good-quality pork sausages

3 tbsp sunflower oil

Method 

1. Preheat the oven to 220C/gas 7. Sift the flour into a bowl and make a well in the centre. Crack the eggs into the well, add the mustard and, with a wooden spoon, begin to stir, gradually incorporating the flour as you go. Add the milk in stages, stirring to a silky, lump-free batter. (You may not need all the milk stop when it has the consistency of double cream.) Stir in the thyme, then set aside to rest for 20 minutes or so.
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the sausages and brown all over for 3-4 minutes. Add the oil to a medium roasting tin and place over a high heat on the hob. Once the fat is really hot (smoking) add the browned sausages, pour the batter around and over them, then quickly transfer to the hot oven. Roast for 25-30 minutes until golden and puffed up.