Red borscht with pampushki
4 servings
90 minutes
Red borscht with pampushki is a true embodiment of home comfort and gastronomic tradition. This rich and aromatic soup comes from Slavic cuisine and has become a symbol of heartfelt meals. Borscht is distinguished by its rich flavor due to the combination of meat broth, vegetables, and the slight acidity of tomato paste and lemon. The thick sauté of onions, carrots, and beets gives borscht depth of flavor and a vibrant red color. Golden, airy pampushki soaked in garlic oil and herbs perfectly complement it, creating a harmony of textures and aromas. Borscht not only warms but also brings people together at the table. It is traditionally served with sour cream, adding even more softness and fullness to the dish's taste. This is true gastronomic delight best enjoyed hot in the company of loved ones.
1
Pampushki. In a bowl, mix yeast, warm water, sugar, and flour, stirring first with a whisk or spoon to help the yeast dissolve better, and only then add the oil. The thing is that if vegetable oil touches the yeast immediately, the dough will take a long time to rise. Knead the dough until it has a good elastic consistency. It should not and will not stick to your hands. After that, place it in a warm spot and cover with a towel.
- Dry yeast: 11 g
- Water: 1 glass
- Sugar: 2 tablespoons
- Wheat flour: 3 glasss
- Vegetable oil: 3 tablespoons
2
Let the dough rest for 20 minutes to an hour. It depends on how the dough feels. Then shape into balls and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper greased with vegetable oil. If spaced apart, each bun will be separate; if placed close together, they can be separated after baking (only the top will be crispy). Buns are baked at 180° until golden brown.
- Vegetable oil: 3 tablespoons
3
Crush the garlic in a garlic press and mix it with vegetable oil in equal parts, season the mixture to taste. Chop the greens.
- Green: to taste
- Salt: 0.5 teaspoon
- Vegetable oil: 3 tablespoons
4
When you take the pampushki out of the oven, cover them with a damp towel for about 3 minutes to let them rest, but this is optional. Then brush them with the garlic mixture and sprinkle with herbs. Don't skimp on the mixture or herbs so that the pampushki aren't dry. They turn out incredibly aromatic and tasty, especially with hot borscht.
5
Red borscht. While the broth is boiling, let's prepare the other ingredients. Finely chop the cabbage, peel the second onion, clean the carrot, potato, and beet. Wash all the vegetables.
- Onion: 2 pieces
- Carrot: 1 piece
- Potato: 3 pieces
- Beet: 1 piece
- Cabbage: 150 g
6
When the broth boils, remove the onion, salt the broth, and add the chopped cabbage. Cut the beet in half. Finely chop one half with a knife and grate the other half on a coarse grater. Add the chopped part to the soup along with the cabbage (to give the broth a red color). You can lower the heat.
- Onion: 2 pieces
- Beet: 1 piece
- Cabbage: 150 g
7
When the broth boils again, we add the diced potatoes.
- Potato: 3 pieces
8
Now we make the sauté – practically the most important part of the preparation. Finely chop the onion and fry it in butter until it turns brown-golden (but don't burn it!). The readiness of the onion affects the taste of the borscht. When the onion is ready, add grated carrot to it. Fry until soft (of the carrot). Peel and crush a couple of garlic cloves and add them to the onion with carrot. Then add grated beetroot. Let the mixture fry for another 2-3 minutes. Meanwhile, take a mug, pour a small amount of broth from the pot into it and mix it with tomato paste and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Add this to the sauté, simmer everything together for another minute, season with salt and pepper to taste and remove from heat.
- Onion: 2 pieces
- Carrot: 1 piece
- Beet: 1 piece
- Tomato paste: 2 tablespoons
- Sugar: 2 tablespoons
- Salt: 0.5 teaspoon
- Ground black pepper: to taste
9
We add our sauté to the soup. Stir. Lower the heat.
- Salt: 0.5 teaspoon
10
And the final touches. Chop the greens (parsley, dill) finely. Cut a couple of thin slices from the lemon and cut them into 4 pieces. Slice the olives into circles. Throw all this into the soup, let it simmer a bit more and remove from heat. Taste it, and if necessary add more salt. The borscht turns out hearty and incredibly tasty! Serve with sour cream and don't forget about the pampushki! Enjoy your meal!))
- Green: to taste
- Lemon: 2 g
- Pitted olives: 100 g