Hazan's béchamel — called besciamella in Italian — differs from the French version in proportions and application. The Italian version is typically thicker (used in lasagne and baked pasta) and is made entirely with butter and whole milk — no cream, no chicken broth, no nutmeg controversially added late. Hazan adds nutmeg during cooking (not at the end), allowing it to mellow into the sauce rather than sitting as a sharp aromatic top note.
- **The roux:** Equal weights of butter and flour (or slightly more butter). Cooked over medium heat until the raw flour smell disappears — 1–2 minutes. Never brown the roux for besciamella — it should remain pale. - **Milk temperature:** Warm milk added gradually to the roux, whisking constantly. Warm milk prevents lumps more effectively than cold milk — the temperature differential is less extreme and the roux has more time to hydrate each addition. - **The cook-out:** After all milk is incorporated, cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring frequently. This fully gelatinises the starch and removes the residual flour taste. - **Nutmeg:** Added during cooking — a very small amount. Freshly grated. Its fat-soluble aromatic compounds extract into the sauce during the 15-minute cook. - **Consistency:** Adjustable by the milk quantity — for lasagne a slightly thicker sauce (coats a spoon heavily); for gratins a thinner version. [VERIFY] Hazan's specific milk quantities for different applications.
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