Genoese pesto
Homemade Genovese pesto recipe with a blender
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The perfect béchamel sauce
recipe by
Maurizio Pigliacampi
Béchamel sauce is one of the fundamental sauces of Italian cuisine, even though its origins are not strictly Italian. It actually comes from French tradition (“béchamel”), but it was adopted and refined in Italy until it became a cornerstone of home cooking and classic gastronomy.
It is a simple yet technical sauce made with milk, butter, and flour, slowly cooked until it becomes smooth and velvety. Its strength lies in its versatility: it does not have a dominant flavor, but instead builds structure and binds other ingredients together.
In Italy, it plays a starring role in iconic dishes such as lasagna, cannelloni, and baked vegetables, where it adds softness, balance, and a creamy texture that holds the dish together without overpowering its flavors. It is one of those preparations that is rarely seen on its own, but always felt in the final result.
ingredients
doses for
Adjust the servings: the quantities are updated automatically.
preparation
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1
Smooth base
In a bowl, dissolve the flour in half a glass of cold milk, mixing carefully until you obtain a smooth, lump-free mixture.
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2
Combining the ingredients
At this point, add the remaining milk, the butter, and the salt. Mix well to fully combine all the ingredients into an even mixture.
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3
Cooking
Transfer the mixture to the heat and cook over low flame for about 20 minutes. It is essential to stir continuously to prevent the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
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4
Final result
The sauce is ready when it reaches a smooth and velvety consistency, perfect for binding pasta, enriching baked vegetables, or structuring dishes such as lasagna and gratins.
A discreet but decisive base: it is rarely noticed on its own, but without it many dishes simply would not hold together.
