Ingredients
BECHAMEL SAUCE
1 1/2 ounces butter
1 pint heated milk
2 tablespoons flour
salt and pepper
Variations of Bechamel Sauce
Cheese Sauce
Bechamel sauce
Six to eight tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Egg and Parsley Sauce
1 pint of Bechamel
Two hard boiled eggs
Three tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley or a teaspoonful of finely chopped mint
Mushroom Sauce
Bechamel sauce
1/4 lb. mushrooms
Shrimp Sauce
A pint of Bechamel sauce
Half a pint of shrimps, shelled and chopped
Directions
Bachamel Sauce
Allow butter to melt in saucepan, but before it turns brown
lower heat, and blend in flour, stirring until smooth; then little by little add heated milk, stirring constantly. If liked add a pinch of nutmeg when adding the seasonings, or alternatively allow a bay leaf to remain in the sauce during its final cooking, which should be fifteen minutes from the time the milk, flour and butter are blended together. It is a good idea to use the top of a double boiler for making this sauce, placing it over the boiling water in the lower part of the boiler for the last fifteen minutes of cooking time. If it is too thick, add a little more milk from time to time.
If you have used a bay leaf for flavouring, remove before
serving. If the sauce is made well in advance, cover with a lid to prevent a skin forming.
VARIATIONS OF BECHAMEL SAUCE
Cheese Sauce
Make sauce as directed for plain Bechamel sauce, and when
cooked, add six to eight tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
and blend well before serving, Excellent over cooked broccoli or cauliflower.
Egg and Parsley Sauce
To 1 pint of Bechamel sauce made as directed, allow two hard boiled eggs and three tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley, stir in just before serving. A variation is to add also a teaspoonful of finely chopped mint. Excellent with broccoli, cauliflower or fish dishes.
Mushroom Sauce
While your Bechamel sauce is cooking, wash and chop finely 1/4 lb. mushrooms and cook gently for ten minutes in hot olive oil before adding to the Bechamel.
Shrimp Sauce
To a pint of Bechamel sauce add half a pint of shrimps, shelled and chopped, and serve when heated through. A good sauce for fish.
Notes
This recipe was taken from "Italian Cooking" by Dorothy Daly. It was published by Spring Books in Great Britain. For the complete copyright-free cookbook see www.archive.org.... In the introduction to the section on sauces the author writes: "The preparation of a sauce is a ritual in Italy; it is not unusual for an Italian housewife to spend hours in loving preparation of a truly rich and enjoyable sauce to be eaten over *pasta', and having tasted the results of some of the hours of loving labour, one has to admit the time has been well-spent." Photo: Mary Melfi.
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