Audrey Hepburn's Go-To Dinner Was Only 5 Ingredients And So Easy To Make

Audrey Hepburn is celebrated for her timeless elegance and charm on the big screen, but this "Breakfast at Tiffany's" star is also remembered for some of her food choices. Hepburn's favorite Italian meal was the simple Italian classic, spaghetti al pomodoro; however, as glamorous as her life was, she was not out every night dining at popular hotspots. Her go-to meals were humble, hearty, and sometimes eyebrow-raising, including her famous spaghetti with ketchup, which required nothing more than pasta, unsalted butter, extra-virgin olive oil, ketchup, and some grated Gruyère cheese for serving.

A child of World War II, Hepburn often experienced shortages; foods like fresh tomatoes were a luxury, and her family frequently faced food insecurity. In fact, the family was once forced to eat turnips and boiled grass, and regularly had to make use of simple ingredients. Spaghetti with a sauce made from ketchup was just that, and it often served as comfort food. Still, this isn't ketchup squirted all over those lovely noodles like an abomination. Hepburn used just a dollop as a base, much like the average home cook uses canned tomatoes for a simple tomato sauce. Of course, what makes her pasta with ketchup unique is not just the use of this condiment but the technique used to create it.

Audrey Hepburn's character, Sabrina, may have showcased her egg-cracking technique in the movie by the same name, but in real life, Hepburn had no formal culinary training. This is where her inherent sophistication sets this dish apart. Hepburn was skilled in the sauce-making method known as mantecare. Mantecare is a method in which risotto and pasta are finished to a creamy consistency. In the case of Hepburn's refined pasta with ketchup, it involves the emulsification of the butter and extra-virgin olive oil. The boiled noodles are drained, reserving a bit of the pasta water. Then, over low heat, the pasta is tossed with these fats until it resembles a glazed doughnut. The pot is then covered and removed from the heat, and the coated noodles are allowed to rest for a couple of minutes.

After resting, add cheese, a couple of squirts of ketchup, and a couple of tablespoons of pasta water to create a velvety smooth sauce that clings to the noodles. If this meal gives you canned pasta vibes, just remember Chef Boyardee catered for U.S. President Wilson, which is to say, don't knock it until you try it. It comes together in just 15 minutes; her son, Luca Dotti, revealed to the Associated Press that it was a good meal they enjoyed while watching TV. This is just another reason to love and admire the way she led her life.