Summary

Bangers and mash (or sausages and mash) is an inexpensive meal which, with the complement of lashings of a rich onion gravy, provides a dish which belies it's humble ingredients.

I like to serve with peas or carrots (or both). It contributes to your five-a-day, won't break the bank and will brighten up an otherwise beige looking plate, but that's only a serving suggestion.

Easy, economical, and perfect for freezing:

I usually buy my sausages in packets from a supermarket, which might provide more than meets my immediate requirements, but I don't cook part of a packet. Any sausages that aren't eaten are simply placed in foil containers (in twos or threes), covered with the gravy, and consigned to the freezer to be enjoyed another day.

I also freeze any unused mashed potato (see basics/vegetables/potatoes)).

Method

Instructions for bangers and mash:

1. Set the oven to 180 degrees centigrade (170 fan, Gas mark 5).
   
   
2. To cook the sausages: Place the sausages into a non stick baking tin, drizzle over two tablespoons of rapeseed oil and mix until the sausages are lightly coated. Do not prick the sausages. Place the tin in the pre-heated oven on a high shelf. The sausages are going to take in the region of 45 minutes to cook. You will need to check on them half way through and turn each sausage over, and if the sausages near the edges are colouring more than the sausages in the middle of the tin, swap them around.
   
   
3. Prepare the mashed potato. (For instructions on how to cook mashed potato, click potato recipe to open in a new tab).
   
   
4. Prepare the onions: Remove the outer skin and then cut the onions laterally into discs about 8mm thick. Discard the ends ie shoot and root. Boil the onion discs in a small saucepan with about 750ml of water. Once boiling, the heat can be turned down to a minimum so that the onions simmer gently.
   
   
5. Prepare the gravy: In a large jug add 5 heaped tablespons of beef gravy granuals with 5 level tablespoons of clean cold water. Stir into a paste and leave to one side.
   
   
6. Prepare the peas and carrots (or your own choice of any vegetables that are to be served).
   
   
7. To complete the onion gravy: By the time your sausages are nearly cooked, your onions will have been simmering for 30 minutes or more. Turn off the heat to the saucepan and, using a colander to catch the onions, empty the liquor from the onions into the jug with the gravy paste from earlier, and stir. Add as much of the liquor to the jug as is needed to make the gravy to the required consistency. Discard any excess liquor, and return the onions and the gravy mix to the saucepan, and stir.
   
   
8. By now, everything should be about ready to serve: Enjoy!