Besciamella Recipes

BECHAMEL SAUCE RECIPE

Steps:

• In a stove-top pot melt butter.
• Add flour and whisk well until a thick creamy paste forms. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
• Slowly pour in about ⅓ cup of milk. Continue whisking energetically breaking all the lumps. Make sure to scrape well the bottom and sides of the pot.
• Once you have reached a smooth consistency add a little more milk. Continue adding milk in small portions until you have used up all the milk.
• Increase the heat a little and continue whisking and cooking the sauce.
• Once it starts to thicken, cook it for another 20-30 seconds and turn off the heat.
• Continue to whisk. You'll notice Bechamel Sauce will continue to thicken even with the heat off.
• Once it reached desired consistency, season it with nutmeg and salt to taste or other seasonings (see suggestions above the recipe).
• Give another good stir.
• If you're not planning to use the sauce immediately see my tips above how to store it to prevent a skin from forming.

BASIC BECHAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, stir in the flour until smooth. Continue stirring as the flour cooks to a light, golden, sandy color, about 7 minutes.
• Increase heat to medium-high and slowly whisk in milk until thickened by the roux. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and continue simmering until the flour has softened and not longer tastes gritty, 10 to 20 minutes, then season with salt and nutmeg.

LASAGNA ALLA BESCIAMELLA

Steps:

• To make the meat ragu: Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until soft and fragrant, about 8 minutes. Add the ground beef, sausage, salt, basil, Italian seasoning, oregano and pepper to taste and increase the heat to high. Cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until browned all over. Add the tomatoes. Pour some of the wine into the empty tomato boxes to rinse out the last bits of tomatoes and add to the pot, along with the remaining wine. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the sauce thickens and the flavors come together, about 1 hour. Add a healthy amount of black pepper.
• To make the besciamella: Heat the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until just simmering, then turn off the heat. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the flour to the butter and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and then loosens again, about 2 minutes. Add the hot milk, whisking constantly. Bring to a boil. Add the nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook, whisking almost constantly, for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and use immediately.
• To make the lasagna: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spread an even layer of the meat ragu over the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles over the sauce lengthwise across the short side of the pan. Avoid overlapping or allowing them to touch the sides of the pan because they will expand as they cook. Press down slightly to let the sauce spread around them. Cover with one-quarter of the besciamella and sprinkle with one-third of the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Add another layer of ragu. Add 3 more noodles, arranging them in the opposite direction from the first layer and breaking 1 of the noodles in half if necessary to fit. Add one-quarter of the besciamella and half of the mozzarella. Make a third layer of ragu, noodles (alternating directions again), besciamella and one-third of the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Add another layer of ragu, then the remaining mozzarella, noodles (alternating the noodles again), besciamella and ragu.
• Cover the pan with foil and bake until heated through, about 35 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the top is brown and bubbling, about 20 minutes more. During the last 10 minutes of baking, scatter the remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano all over. Let the lasagna stand for 10 minutes before serving.

BECHAMEL: BESCIAMELLA

Steps:

• Melt the 1/2 cup butter in a pan over medium heat. Stir in the flour with a wooden spoon. Cook's Note: This is an important moment, as you have to slowly toast the flour without burning it. This will help you lose the flowery taste.
• Warm up the milk and gradually ladle into the pot with the butter-flour mixture, whisking constantly while bringing the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer for about 15 minutes. Season the sauce with freshly grated nutmeg, salt, and pepper.

BESCIAMELLA SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat butter in a medium saucepan until melted.
• Add flour, stirring until smooth.
• Cook gently over medium heat until light golden brown, 6-7 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the milk in a separate pan until almost boiling.
• Add milk to the butter mixture 1 cup at a time, whisking continuously until very smooth.
• If lumps begin to form, you need to adjust the heat up a bit higher.
• Bring to a boil, and cook for 30 seconds, continuing to stir.
• Remove from the heat and season with salt and nutmeg.
• Note: After I had brought it to a boil and let it cook for 30 seconds, it was still too liquidy.
• I continued to cook it over high heat, stirring constantly, until it thickened down, and began to coat the back of the spoon.

PARMESAN BECHAMEL

Steps:

• Heat butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add shallot; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 2 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Slowly add milk and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, add Parmesan, and season with salt and pepper.

BESCIAMELLA

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and cook for 1½-2 minutes, stirring con- stantly with a wooden spoon to prevent it from taking on any color whatsoever. Gradually add the hot milk in a slow, steady stream, stirring constantly with a whisk to prevent lumps. Increase the heat to medium and cook the sauce, stirring con- stantly with a wooden spoon, until it has the consistency of very thick cream, 10-15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.
• Stir in the cheese, if using, and season with nutmeg and salt to taste. Strain the sauce through a sieve if it is lumpy. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the besciamella to keep it warm until ready to use and to prevent a skin from forming.