RECIPES FROM 1979

Sausage and Apple Casserole

Sausages, apple and onion baked in a rich, tangy devilled-style sauce.

WORTH MAKING AGAIN

1 HOUR

SERVES 4

ABOUT THE RECIPE

Sausages, onions and apple are baked together in a tangy brown sauce for exactly the kind of practical, comforting dinner this cookbook does so well.

I used beef sausages, swapped the original “beef tea” for beef stock and used tomato paste for a deeper sauce. The result is savoury, slightly sweet and very much deserving of mashed potato.

JUMP TO RECIPE

THE ORIGINAL RECIPE

Original 1979 Ward 9 cookbook page for Sausage and Apple Casserole.

THE MODERN CONVERSION

From 1979 to today’s kitchen.

The original recipe, reworked with clearer measurements, modern steps and everything you need to make it now.

Ingredients

500 g beef sausages

2 medium onions, finely sliced

2 tablespoons oil, divided

1 to 2 medium cooking apples, peeled and sliced

Sauce

1 beef stock cube

1 cup boiling water

1 tablespoon plain flour

2 teaspoons sugar

½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon vinegar

1 tablespoon tomato paste

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan-forced.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the sausages and cook until browned on all sides.

Remove the sausages from the pan, slice into thick pieces, and place them into a casserole dish.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan and cook the sliced onions until soft and lightly translucent.

Add the onions to the casserole with the sausages.

In a jug, dissolve the beef stock cube in the boiling water first. Add the flour, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, and tomato paste, then whisk until smooth.

Pour the sauce over the sausages and onions.

Add the sliced apples and gently mix everything together.

Cover with a lid and bake for 45 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and the apples are tender.

Recipe book compiled by Ward 9w Hutt Hospital December 1979 City Slicker.

THE TASTE TEST

So, was it worth making again?

The honest verdict after cooking from the 1979 page.

I was not sure whether this would be delicious or forgettable, but it definitely landed in the delicious category. The sauce tastes a lot like devilled sausages, with the apple adding just enough sweetness.

I would absolutely make this again. Next time, I would use less oil and add salt and pepper, but served with mashed potato and steamed vegetables, it is a proper cosy dinner.