Béchamel

First classical recipe of béchamel sauce

Melt flour in cold milk in a little saucepan; you have to avoid to do lumps. A suggestion could be to use a whisk (blender). Add butter, cut into little pieces; season to taste with salt and begin cooking over a very low flame. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon until your sauce thickens.

Second classical recipe of béchamel sauce

Let milk warm up.
Meanwhile melt butter in a little saucepan over a very low flame. Add white flour using a strainer and stir accurately with a wooden spoon until you have a smooth cream without lumps. At this point pour it into hot milk, little by little, stirring continuously. Keep on cooking and stirring until your sauce thickens. Switch off the flame, add nutmeg and season to taste with salt; stir. The sauce is ready.

Note

• - If you don't use this sauce immediately, you can spread a piece of butter on the top. This trick is useful to preserve it better.
• - If you want to prepare not a thick béchamel, you have to dilute milk. In this case you have to use 200 ml water with 200 ml milk.
• - You can modify this recipe adding, when you have switched off the flame, 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan and an egg yolk. If you add single cream (light cream) you have Mornay sauce.
• - You can use yogurt instead of butter; in this way you have a light version of bechamel sauce.
• - Remember: the most famous Italian dish with béchamel sauce is Bolognaise lasagna!