How to Make Bechamel (White Sauce) – Basic Recipe

bechamel saucePhoto bySaveWithJamies

Bechamel is probably one of the most popular sauces in the world. Béchamel or white sauce is made with a butter and flour (a white roux) and milk.

Although it 1st appeared in many Italian cooking books (as one of the simplest sauces of the certain cuisine), it’s now considered as one of the popular mother sauces of French cuisine. It’s used as the base for many other sauces (like Mornay sauce – a Béchamel with cheese). Here is the Italian Bechamel sauce recipe:

Ingredients:

• 75 grams/3 oz./6 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons plain/all-purpose flour
• 750 ml/1 ¼ pints/3 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Instructions:

• In a small heavy-based pan, melt the butter on a medium-high heat. Then, add the flour and cook gently, stirring for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and gradually stir in the milk. Return to the heat and cook stirring for 2 minutes, or until sauce thickens. Bring to boil, remove from the heat and stir in the mustard. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
• You can immediately use it in preparing lasagna, cannelloni, and other French or Italian recipes.

Enjoy!