Obviously, you'll want to make adjustments according to how thick you want your sauce to be. I usually just start it on the stove while I'm making the rest of the recipe and let it cool down before I layer it with my pastas.
How to Make Bechamel Sauce
For enough sauce for a 9-by-14-inch pan, you'll need:
1 stick of butter (1/2 cup)
3 cups milk
1/4 cup flour, or more if needed to thicken
1 tsp ground nutmeg
Melt 1 stick of butter in a pot on medium-low heat. You want to keep the heat low so the milk doesn't boil.
When the butter is half-melted, add 1/4 cup flour and stir.
You've now got a roux. Don't worry if it's a bit brown, adding the milk will turn it white. When the butter has melted and the flour has thickened the sauce, add 3 cups milk.
Let the mixture simmer on the stove at medium-low to low heat for about 5 to 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened to your liking. Add more flour if needed.
Add 1 tsp ground nutmeg. Stir. Turn off the heat and let it rest.
What can you make with bechamel sauce?
Pastitsio (Greek "Lasagna")
Homemade Macaroni and Cheese
*****
1 year ago today, Fessenjan (Persian Walnut-Pomegranate Glaze) with Roast Duck.
Wow, I never knew bechamel was so simple. I've always avoided sauces because I thought they were more complicated than this. Thanks for opening my eyes
ReplyDeleteYour recipe is very simple. Other times I've made bechamel, the recipes require me to stir things in slowly...
ReplyDeleteOnce, I made cannelloni and my partner found a huge green tree frog on our verandah. He yelled at me to come look at it, and I had to decline because I did not want to ruin the bechamel sauce, and hence the cannelloni.
mmm, pasta bakes ...
Aaron,
ReplyDeleteWell, some sauces are more complicated. I haven't attempted Hollandaise, but bechamel is one of the easiest sauces to make.
Oanh,
Keep the heat on low and you don't have to do so much stirring. It'll thicken on its own.