Sausage, roast veg & sage toad in the hole

Enrobe roast winter vegetables in sage-flavoured toad-in-the-hole batter along with sausages for an entire meal in one baking tin (plus the compulsory gravy, of course).

Serves 4

115g plain flour A pinch of salt 20 sage leaves, roughly chopped 285ml milk 3 eggs 8 thick sausages Half a cauliflower, cut into florets 6 carrots, scrubbed, topped and tailed 3 onions, skinned and quartered 2 leeks, trimmed and cut into rounds 2 beetroots, peeled and quartered Vegetable oil

1 Preheat oven to 190C /Fan 170C/375F. Tip the flour, salt and chopped sage leaves into one bowl, then whisk together the milk and eggs in another bowl. Make a well in the centre of the bowl of flour and pour in a little of the milk mixture, then use a whisk to slowly start to incorporate a little of the flour at a time from the edges. When the liquid gets thick, add more of the milk mixture, and incorporate a little more of the flour, until all is mixed together. Leave to sit.

2 Put the sausages and prepared veg into a large, thin tin and pour on a few tbsp of oil. Turn the vegetables and sausages until they are well coated, season with salt and pepper, then roast in the oven for around 40 mins, turning occasionally, until the sausages are browned and the vegetables softened.

3 Remove the tin from the oven and turn oven up to 240C/Fan 220C/475F. With the veg and sausages still in the tin, you will need to make sure that there is 1cm of oil covering the base (if there isn’t, add some more), then place the tin onto the hob and heat until the oil is very hot (you may need to move the tin around or light two rings). When the oil is smoking, pour the batter in and quickly return to the oven. Do not open the oven for at least 20 mins or the toad in the hole will collapse.

4 After 20 mins turn the oven back down to 190C/Fan 170C/375F and cook for a further 10–20 mins until the batter is firm all over and golden brown. Serve with onion gravy.