Hungarian Tomato Sauce

Hungarian tomato sauce owes its silky texture and characteristic sweet-and-sour flavour to the roux base.

1. Chop the onion finely, and fry it glassy in the oil.

2. Sprinkle over the flour, and stir it to a light roux.

3. Pour in the tomato juice, and stirring constantly, smooth it lump-free.

4. Add the bay leaf and the sugar, salt and pepper it.

5. Cook it over a low heat for 15-20 minutes, until it thickens nicely silky, then remove the bay leaf.

6. Serve with cooked pasta or meatballs.

Tip: Set the sweet-and-sour balance with the amount of sugar – the acidity of tomato juice varies by brand.