Bechamel sauce classic recipe

In a saucepan or ladle with a thick and preferably non-stick bottom, melt the butter. When it becomes liquid, immediately remove it from the heat. Don't let the oil boil, otherwise it will turn dark and this will affect the color of the finished sauce.

Pour wheat flour into melted butter. It must be sifted so that the "Bechamel" is homogeneous.

Return the saucepan with the ingredients to a slow fire. Mix the butter with flour and heat them together for 1 minute. Don't over-roast the flour. It should acquire a pleasant golden hue and a slight nutty smell. Also, do not forget to constantly stir the mixture with a spatula or whisk so that it does not burn.

Then pour 100-150 ml of cold milk into it. Stir the mixture so that it becomes thick and has a uniform texture.

When all the lumps disperse and the sauce becomes homogeneous, pour the rest of the cold milk into the pan, continuously stirring the mixture with a whisk.

Return the saucepan to a slow fire. Stirring constantly, the sauce will cook until thickened, about 5-7 minutes. Keep in mind that the sauce will thicken even more as it cools. The consistency of the sauce depends on the purpose for which you will use it in the future.

A minute before the end of cooking, add fine salt, nutmeg and a mixture of peppers to the Bechamel sauce for taste and aroma.

Stirring, continue to cook the sauce for another minute, then turn off the heat. The finished sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 days, covered with oiled cling film. Ideally, the sauce should be free of lumps. Otherwise, it must be rubbed through a sieve or beat with an immersion blender.

Enjoy your meal!