Italian White Sauce Recipe | Besciamella / Bechamel Sauce Recipe | How to Make Italian White Sauce

Italian White Sauce #Recipe
 Besciamella / Bechamel Sauce #Recipe

White sauce is one of the basic sauces used in Italian cuisine. It is known throughout the world by its French name Béchamel; in fact, it is one of the five mother sauces of French cuisine. It is said the French were introduced to this sauce by the Italians. In Italy, white sauce is known as besciamella. It is used in making gratin and many types of pasta like lasagna, cannelloni, etc.

In order to make the béchamel sauce, a roux consisting of equal parts of flour and butter need to be prepared first. To it, hot milk is added and cooked to create a creamy sauce. The roux in béchamel sauce should not be cooked much as it must not get brown. 

The quantity of flour and butter per cup of milk can vary slightly depending on how think or thick sauce you need. 2 tbsp of flour per cup of milk will give you a medium thick sauce and 3tbsp flour per cup of milk will give you a creamier sauce. As the sauce gets cold, it can thicken further. Just little more milk and whisk it to get the consistency right.

Let’s check out the recipe for Italian White sauce now.

Italian White Sauce Recipe | Besciamella / Bechamel Sauce Recipe 

Yields 2-1/2 Cups

Ingredients

4 tbsp Butter

4 tbsp all-purpose flour/maida

2 cups hot milk

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Process:

1.       Heat a pan over medium-low heat and add butter to it. Add the flour and whisk for 2 minutes. Do not let the mixture to brown.

2.       Gradually add hot milk and keep whisking constantly. Add salt and pepper to taste and keep stirring constantly. In about 10-15 minutes the sauce will have the consistency of thick cream.

3.       Take it off heat and use it in pasta as needed.

Notes:

1. It is best to use the sauce immediately. If you unable to do so, you may have to add a little more milk later to get the consistency of the sauce right as it might get thicker.

2. I sometimes use garlic and herb butter and a heaped spoon of sugar in this sauce for a slightly different taste.

This Italian White Sauce recipe is my entry for BM 86 Week 3 Day #3 under the theme 'Italian Sauces You Should Master'. For Day #1 & Day #2 under the theme, I had posted Basil Walnut Pesto and Homemade Pizza Sauce respectively.

 

Check out the Blogging Marathon page to find other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#86

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