Sausage casserole with cheddar dumpling

2009-02 p88

serves six.

2 tbsp suet
12 pork sausages
6 small onions, peeled and halved
1 tbsp tomato puree
1.5 tsp cornflour
250ml red wine
6 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
400g tin chopped tomatoes.
25g pk fresh thyme, leaves only
280g jar onion chutney

For the cheddar dumpling
275g self-raising flour
100g suet
75g grated cheddar

Preheat the oven to 180C (fan 160C), gas mark 4.


Spoon suet into casserole, heat over a fairly high heat,fry sausages in it for 5 mins until golden brown.

Transfer sausages to a plate; add onions to casserole and fry for 2 min until lightly browned. Add tomato puree,increase the heat and fry for one minute.

Lower the heat and stir in cornflour. Add the red wine and garlic. Bring to the boil and boil for 2 min.

Add the tomatoes, sausages, half the thyme, half the onion chutney, and 50ml of water. Season; bring to the boil then cook, uncovered, for 40 min in the preheated oven.

For the dumpling, mix the flour in a bowl with the remaining thyme, 1/2 tsp salt, pepper and the suet. Add 125ml water and mix to a firm dough, adding a tablespoon of water, if needed.

Split the dough and roll out two 15cm circles. Mix the remaing chutney with the cheese and place in the centre of one of the circles, leaving a 3cm border. Put second circle on top and press on edges to seal. Lightly score the top to mark out six sedges.

After the casserole has cooked for 40 min, remove from oven, put dumpling on top, brush with a little of the gravy and bake for a further 30–40 mins, until golden.