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.
- **The roux:** Equal butter and flour by weight, cooked together for 2 minutes. The roux must be fully cooked before milk is added — raw flour taste in the finished sauce indicates under-cooked roux - **The milk:** Added cold or room-temperature (not hot) to the hot roux — the temperature difference promotes smooth, lump-free integration. The milk is added progressively at first, then in larger quantities - **The cook:** 10–15 minutes at a steady simmer after all milk is added — the starch gelatinises completely during this cooking - **Seasoning:** Salt, white pepper, and a grating of nutmeg — nutmeg is specific to Italian besciamella and should be present but not identified - **Consistency adjustment:** For lasagna: slightly thinner than for a coating sauce. The besciamella continues cooking in the oven and will thicken further during the bake
Hazan