Bechamel sauce is one of the most versatile and important sauces in the modern Italian Kitchen.Otherwise known as White sauce with a roux base. It is easy and fast to create. It is the base to continue to build a cheese sauce or other vegetable cream sauces. It is perfect to give a special touch to so many different plates. From Lasagna to baked pasta and between layers of dishes like potatoes and artichokes for example. Italian bechamel includes a hint of fresh nutmeg and a pinch of salt. It’s so creamy and wonderful you will want to experiment with it often. I will show you how to use it in many of my recipes.
Foundational cooking in Italian is important to master as it opens the door to understanding and building upon so many other recipes. This is one of those sauces, once you understand bachamel it can be of great service to you. It is easy but a few quality ingredients are needed before beginning.
Butter, Milk, Flour, Nutmeg and Salt simple ingredients to turn this into one of your go to sauces. Store for up to a three days in the refrigerator to give a pep to many dishes or with a few more ingredients you can turn it into a cheese sauce for another recipe later on in the week. Or drizzle in between casserole layers of pasta or eggplant.
To begin the recipe you will need a small pot on medium heat, you will start by adding and melting the butter. Once completely melted you will slowly begin to add the flour over the medium heat and whisking steadily and consistently without stopping. My full tutorial is below for you to follow along. Each step is important and should not be rushed. Before you know it you will have a creamy silky Bechamel in no time at all.
Classical Bechamel Sauce
Ingredients
- 5 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 qt milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 1.4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg from nut
Instructions
- In a sauce pan over medium heat melt the butter
- with a whisk in hand add your flour, whisking continuously, until blended together, will have a paste like consistency, this is called a roux.
- Once Roux is ready, still over the heat, begin to pour your room temperature milk into the roux as you continue to whisk. Keep Whisking until the lumps are gone and the texture is smooth and silky. Allow to come to a low boil. Whisking often.
- Low heat to simmer, add the fresh grated nutmeg and allow it to for simmer for about ten minutes to be sure all ingredients have incorporated, stirring often.
- Remove from heat, cool down to room temperature, or begin to use it in your recipe of choice.
