Béchamel (Besciamella): The Italian Version
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Origin
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Description
The Italian besciamella — identical in principle to the French béchamel but used in different contexts (lasagna, baked pasta, crespelle) — demonstrates how a single mother sauce adapts to a different culinary tradition. Hazan's besciamella is made with butter and milk only; the French béchamel sometimes uses a light stock as part of the liquid. In Italian baked preparations, the besciamella is a binding agent and moisture-retaining layer as much as a sauce — its starch gelatinises during baking, binding the layers while retaining moisture in a preparation that would otherwise dry out.
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The Thread
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Flavour Context
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Pillars V — VII
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