Toad-in-the Hole Italiano

This is another quick-and-easy dish for a family supper from Sara Moulton's Everyday Family Dinners.As it happens, all of these ingredients are available in our fridge and freezer most of the time. So for us this is the perfect fallback dinner. Sara calls it Italiano because she uses Italian sausage rather than an English variety and she has added bell peppers and cheese to make it a legitimate one-dish meal. If we think of recipes as guidlelines rather than blueprints, we should feel free to make changes that suit our tastes as well.

TOAD-IN-THE-HOLE ITALIANO

(serves 4)

1. 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2. 1 1/4 pounds sweet or hot Italian sausages or a mixture of the two
3. 1 medium red bell pepper
4. 1 medium green bell pepper
5. 1 1/2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano
6. Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
7. 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
8. 4 garlic cloves
9. 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
10. 2 large eggs
11. 3/4 cup whole milk

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet with an overproof handle over medium heat until hot. Add the sausages and cook until browned, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, slice the red and green bell peppers (about 1 cup each). Grate the cheese using a microplane or the fine side of a box grater (about 1/2 cup) and , if using the fresh herb, chop the oregano (about 1 1/2 teaspoons). Chop the garlic into a small dice.

Remove the sausages to a plate and let cool; reserve the drippings in the skillet. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, the bell peppers and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.

Cut the sausages into 1-inch chunks and stir into the mixture.

 

Combine the flour, cheese, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a medium bowl. whisk the eggs in a large glass measuring cup until frothy, whisk in the milk, 1/3 cup water, and the remaining 2 tablespoon olive oil. Gradually whisk the milk mixture into the flour mixture just until the batter is combined. It can still be slightly lumpy.

 

Pour the batter over the sausage mixture and bake until puffed and golden 30 to 40 minutes.

Serve immediately.