Meat croquettes and meatballs

Ingredients

• 50 g of butter
• 60 g of flour
• Approximately 300 ml of liquid: milk, or vegetable puree (depending on the type of patty or meatball)
• Approximately 250g of filling (adjust the amount depending on the type, for example: meat, fish, vegetables, or cheese)
• a small one
• or
• pepper and salt
• 1 egg
• 1 bouillon cube (do not adjust the type of bouillon to suit the dish)
• Spices (to be adjusted according to the main ingredient used)
• To help firm up the dough, you can optionally add a sheet of dough that has been soaked in cold water.

Heat the liquid until it is close to its boiling point, then maintain it at that temperature.

Start by melting the butter in a pan.

Add the flour and stir constantly until the mixture thickens and begins to boil.

(But be careful not to let it color, otherwise the sauce will turn brown instead of remaining white).

Then, allow to cool slightly.

Now, add a good amount of hot liquid and mix the mixture with a spatula until you achieve a smooth consistency.

Place the pot back on the heat and add as much liquid as needed, stirring constantly, to create a very thick sauce (the binding capacity can vary depending on the type of flour, so you may not necessarily need to use all of the liquid!).

Let it simmer gently for a few minutes.

Season the sauce with pepper, salt, and any other desired spices.

Now add the chopped vegetables and a generous tablespoon of sour cream or heavy cream, then return everything to a simmer.

Pour the sauce into a shallow dish, cover the ragout with cling film, and let it cool completely in the refrigerator.