Home Ideology

Winter has officially crept in like a toddler at 3am asking for water. The air is cold, the sky gets tired before we do, and this is the season I lean all the way into comfort. Soft socks, foggy windows, food that feels like a hug.

And nothing says cosy British winter quite like Toad-in-the-Hole. Golden, puffed batter cradling juicy sausages, all tucked together like they’re waiting out a snowstorm. This is the kind of dish that makes you forget the school run frost and reminds you why winter has its own magic.

Serve it with onion gravy, peas, and a table full of hungry little hands. This is cosy. This is home. This is winter done right.

🥘 Toad-in-the-Hole Recipe

Serves: 4

Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

8 good quality sausages or 4 big ones. 1 tbsp oil or beef dripping 200g plain flour 4 eggs 300ml whole milk Pinch of salt Optional: fresh thyme or rosemary, wholegrain mustard in the batter (trust me, gorgeous)

Method

Heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan). Place sausages in a baking dish with the oil and put them in the oven for 10–12 minutes until they start to brown. Make the batter: whisk flour, eggs, milk, and salt until smooth and glossy. Let it sit while the sausages cook (resting batter makes it extra fluffy). Carefully remove the hot dish from the oven. Pour batter over the sausages immediately. It should sizzle. Bake for 25–30 minutes without opening the oven door (tempting, but ruins the rise). Serve with gravy, greens, and a smug sense of domestic triumph.

Quick onion gravy

Sauté 2 sliced onions in butter, add 1 tbsp flour, a splash of balsamic, and 400ml beef stock. Season. Simmer till glossy.