Currently, there are many different options for preparing dressings for pasta. Someone uses the usual store ketchups and mayonnaises, homemade lovers for the winter serve spaghetti with lecho and salads like Ankle Bensa, and true gourmets prefer to cook various famous sauces such as bechamel or bolognese. However, many will agree that the taste of childhood cannot be replaced with any other culinary masterpiece. Remembering the school or student years, we revive in memory and gatherings in school canteens. Their menu was not spoiled for its variety and luxury, but it’s not so easy to cook the same delicious meatballs or pasta that school chefs treated us to. Pasta sauce in the dining room - is it realistic to cook it in the home kitchen? Let's try it.
Brown sauce
What is the reason for such a bright, red color of this gravy? The whole secret is contained in the method of preparing one of its main ingredients - flour. The recipe for pasta sauce in the dining room necessarily involves frying the flour and oil to such an extent that the whole mass turns dark brown. It is this factor that affects red gravy, and not ketchup, as many people think, although this product can also play a role.
Primary basis
A simple gravy of pasta in the dining room is very easy to prepare. If you want to get a simple and light dish sauce, then you will need these products:
- Flour - 3 tbsp. l
- Oil or ghee from the pan - as much as flour.
- Warm liquid (you can use both ordinary water and broth) - 2 cups.
- A pinch of salt.
Despite the fact that such gravy for pasta as in a dining room requires the use of a narrow range of products, its preparation is not so simple. It is important to observe all proportions so that the sauce turns out to be of the desired consistency and is not too liquid or, conversely, too thick. Since pasta gravy is quickly preparing in the dining room, it would be advisable to measure the required amount of ingredients before proceeding directly to its creation.
Walkthrough
The cooking process begins with melting the oil. Watch the power of the fire - the fat should not burn, because then the taste of the whole gravy will be spoiled. When the butter is completely melted, it should be removed from the heat and add flour to it. Stir these two ingredients best with a special whisk in order to avoid the appearance of lumps. Now the pan in which all these actions were carried out is put on fire again. The gravy must be constantly stirred so that it does not burn. Remember - the longer the baking takes, the brighter and more saturated dark brown the sauce will get. Then you should gradually introduce the broth into the pan. Pour half a glass of liquid first, mix everything thoroughly and let the gravy restore its former temperature. Then do the same 3 more times. Gravy for pasta as in the dining room involves the addition of beef broth, which has a characteristic color and bright taste, but for lack of it you can even use boiled water. When all the liquid is introduced into the pan and the sauce boils, you need to slightly reduce the power of the fire and continue to simmer the gravy until it acquires the necessary thick consistency. Before you remove the dishes from the stove, add a little salt and mix everything thoroughly. After the gravy for pasta as in the dining room is cooked, you can safely use it as a sauce. Enjoy your meal!
Extended option
Not only is the gravy prepared for pasta in the above manner as in the dining room. The description of the second variant of its preparation is not particularly different from the main one, but its taste will certainly become richer. For cooking you will need:
- 5 g of flour;
- 10 ml ghee;
- 100 ml of broth;
- 5 g carrots;
- 2 g onions;
- Some sugar and salt.
Such proportions will make it possible to prepare 100 g of gravy. As for cooking, it all starts with chopping onions (you need to chop it as small as possible) and carrots (it is better to grate it). Vegetables should be fried in oil until they are softened. Now you should do the flour. It is better to fry it in a dry frying pan (oil should not be added) until golden brown, stirring constantly. Then you need to gradually add the broth to the flour, and then the slightly stewed vegetables, add salt and sugar. The resulting sauce must be boiled, and then rubbed through a sieve, so that it turns out homogeneous. And only after that should oil be added to it. Delicious gravy for pasta in the dining room is ready!
Tomato option
If you don’t think of using pasta without ketchup, then this option is for you. Do not be afraid, due to the addition of tomatoes to the sauce, it will not lose its original "school" taste. To prepare this sauce, you must first fry the flour until golden brown, and then mix it with cold water in a pan. There you need to send a little tomato paste. You can slightly salt and sugar the sauce. The point is small - put the pan on the stove, after boiling, reduce the heat and cook until thick.
Luxury option
Consider how to prepare meat sauce for pasta in the dining room. So, the recipe for this version of this sauce involves the use of the following ingredients:
- beef tenderloin (about 1 kg);
- 2-3 onions;
- tomato sauce (about 2 tbsp. l.);
- flour (as much);
- ghee (the same amount);
- spices - salt, pepper, bay leaf.
We start cooking. To begin with, put the pre-chopped beef on a hot pan and fry it until it is rosy. Then the pieces of meat should be placed in a pan, in which they will then be stewed. At the same time, it is the turn of the onion to languish in the pan. Then the onion also goes to the pan, where 4 more glasses of water are added. All this must be put out for 40 minutes over low heat. Next we cook the flour. How to fry it was described above in the descriptions of other gravy options. When the flour turns golden, add 3 cups of beef broth to it and stir everything until smooth. Now the resulting sauce is added to the meat. Spices should also be placed in the pan. Leave the sauce to simmer on the stove for 20 minutes. Real jam!
Starchy version
Many housewives believe that it is better to replace flour when creating such a sauce with corn starch. They simply fry the onions (sometimes together with carrots), then add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste to the pan, then add boiling water and starch (about 1 tbsp.) Previously diluted in cold water to the gravy, and then boil all this until thickened.
Vegetable option
Fans of healthy food can also enjoy pasta gravy in the dining room. You can safely add chopped tomatoes, as well as peppers, beans and green peas to the main version of the sauce. The taste of gravy from this does not spoil, but only becomes more pleasant for you. Feel free to experiment and choose the option you like.