Step by Step Series: Family Lunch

Paprika sausage casserole

Welcome to our second step by step post, a complete and simple guide to making a simple but lovely family lunch of a gorgeous sausage casserole and mash main and a dessert of an apple tarte tatin.  Perfect for a relaxed meal.

I remember shortly after moving out from my family home I had my mum and my brother James over for Sunday lunch.  I so badly wanted them to enjoy what I had cooked and despite being an ok cook, I really worried and felt like a fish out of water.

I have therefore devised this stress free, delicious meal that is simple to follow but with full on flavour. All can be pre-prepared for the ultimate stress free family lunch if you are nervous and, what I really love about it is just how good a sausage casserole and a fancy apple pie really can be.  Simple honest food that are so good that both feel special.  All you need is some cream or ice cream to serve with the apple tarte tatin.

The casserole can actually be served with mash, polenta or baked potatoes, each are lovely and work really well and each have their own merits.  Just make whatever takes your fancy, I love all three and just could not call a favourite if I tried.  Polenta is lovely, mash comforting and warm and baked potatoes with lashings of butter just fantastic.  When I make polenta with this dish I like it to be wet polenta which needs to be cooked fresh, if you do want it to be totally pre-prepared ahead of time then stick to mash. 

If you want to increase the numbers this serves, you can make 1.5 times the amount for 6 people or 2 times the amount for 8.  The only thing not to double would be the onions, for 6 stick to the original amount and for 8 I would do 3 onions.

I used and like pork sausages in my casserole but you can use whatever sausages you prefer and if you want to make it vegetarian or vegan, just use veggie sausages and vegetable stock.

You could also make an apple crumble or appeltert if you prefer, both can be made ahead and  baked before you eat.

A breakdown of what to do when with a timeline to get you started is below.  This is based on  serving your casserole with mash potato and with an eating time of 3pm.

The below timetable is based on pre-cooking everything and just finishing off when you are ready to eat and serving mash potato.  When I pre-prepare I start in the morning then have time on my hands to relax before people arrive.  To reheat mash just preheat in your saucepan over a medium low heat for 5 mins or so.

I hope this guide helps.  Happy cooking.

Kelly