Yorkshire Pudding

Yorkshire Puddings are a classic British side dish often served with roast beef. I will provide the traditional recipe, but with an Italian twist, suggesting you serve them perhaps with oven-roasted veal and a nice tied cooking jus as an alternative.

Ingredients

• 140g 00 flour
• 200ml whole milk
• 4 large eggs
• Salt to taste
• Vegetable oil (or lard, if you want to be traditional) for greasing

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 230 °C.
2. In a large bowl, sift the flour and add a pinch of salt.
3. In another bowl, beat the eggs and combine them with the flour.
4. Gradually add the milk and continue mixing to obtain a smooth, lump-free batter. Let the batter rest for about 30 minutes.
5. While the batter rests, grease muffin tins or dedicated Yorkshire Pudding pans with oil or lard. Place them in the oven for about 10-15 minutes so the oil heats up well.
6. Remove the hot tins from the oven and fill each about two-thirds with the batter.
7. Return the tins to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the puddings are puffed and golden. Avoid opening the oven during baking to prevent them from deflating.

Trivia

Yorkshire Puddings date back to the 18th century. Originally they were served before the main meal to fill guests up so they would eat less meat, which was considered the most expensive item. Sometimes they were also served with a sweet sauce and thus turned into a dessert.

Italian addition: For a local touch, you could try adding grated Parmesan to the batter for a richer and slightly savory flavor, or accompany your puddings with a few drops of Modena PGI balsamic vinegar.