To Italians ONLY: Isn't there a sort of "Bechamel" sauce Italians make?

Question

What do the Italian cooks call this sauce? & how is it spelled? Is it different from Bechemel used as a 'roux' in England, isn't it?

I've been given a recipe by my aunt for what she (very Italian) called Bechemel---she used it in a Canneloni dish & told me that Lasagne is never made it...once you use Bechemel in a Lasagne type dish, she said it becomes different.

Italians answer ONLY.! Please

Answer 1

It is one of the 5 mother sauces.  All it is, is scalded milk with a butter and white flour roux.  Add anything else and it will no longer be a Béchamel sauce.  It is the base however for many, many different sauces.  These are the 5 mother sauces.

Béchamel, the classic white sauce, was named after its inventor, Louis XIV's steward Louis de Béchamel. The king of all sauces, it is often referred to as a cream sauce because of its appearance and is probably used most frequently in all types of dishes. Made by stirring milk into a butter-flour roux, the thickness of the sauce depends on the proportion of flour and butter to milk. The proportions for a thin sauce would be 1 tablespoon each of butter and flour per 1 cup of milk; a medium sauce would use 2 tablespoons each of butter and flour; a thick sauce, 3 tablespoons each.

Velouté is a stock-based white sauce. It can be made from chicken, veal or fish stock. Enrichments such as egg yolks or cream are sometimes also added.

Espagnole, or brown sauce, is traditionally made of a rich meat stock, a mirepoix of browned vegetables (most often a mixture of diced onion, carrots and celery), a nicely browned roux, herbs and sometimes tomato paste.

Hollandaise and Mayonnaise are two sauces that are made with an emulsion of egg yolks and fat. Hollandaise is made with butter, egg yolks and lemon juice, usually in a double boiler to prevent overheating, and served warm. It is generally used to embellish vegetables, fish and egg dishes, such as the classic Eggs Benedict. Mayonnaise is a thick, creamy dressing that's an emulsion of vegetable oil, egg yolks, lemon juice or vinegar and seasonings. It is widely used as a spread, a dressing and as a sauce. It's also used as the base for such mixtures as Tartar Sauce, Thousand Island Dressing, Aïoli, and Remoulade.

Vinagrette is a sauce made of a simple blend of oil, vinegar, salt and pepper (usually 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar). More elaborate variations can include any combination of spices, herbs, shallots, onions, mustard, etc. It is generally used to dress salad greens and other cold vegetable, meat or fish dishes.

Answer 2

A bechamel sauce is a white sauce .. Lasagne is made with a red sauce which is tomato base ... big difference ..

Bechamel sauce is a standard recipe for all dishes which requires a white sauce , it is not only used in Italian cooking .

Answer 3

Bechamel Basic Recipe (Besciamella)

Ingredients:

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 quart whole milk

1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

1/16 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Directions:

Melt the butter in a 1 1/2 quart saucepan with a heavy bottom. Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon; cook for 3 minutes over medium-low heat without allowing the flour to take on color. Meanwhile, heat the milk in a 2-quart pot until it is nearly boiling. Pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture, beating constantly with a wire whisk to prevent lumps from forming. Bring to a boil; cook over medium heat, whisking often, until thick, about 10 minutes. Lower the heat if the sauce sticks to the bottom of the pot. Season with salt and pepper and, if you like, nutmeg. Use immediately, or cool to room temperature and refrigerate. Makes 1 quart.

Answer 4

Bechamel Basic Recipe (Besciamella)

Ingredients:

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 quart whole milk

1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

1/16 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Directions:

Melt the butter in a 1 1/2 quart saucepan with a heavy bottom. Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon; cook for 3 minutes over medium-low heat without allowing the flour to take on color. Meanwhile, heat the milk in a 2-quart pot until it is nearly boiling. Pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture, beating constantly with a wire whisk to prevent lumps from forming. Bring to a boil; cook over medium heat, whisking often, until thick, about 10 minutes. Lower the heat if the sauce sticks to the bottom of the pot. Season with salt and pepper and, if you like, nutmeg. Use immediately, or cool to room temperature and refrigerate. Makes 1 quart.

Answer 5

Yes, Italians use Bechamel sauce (they call it Besciamella).  It is the same as the French bechamel.

Your grandmother is right.  Italians don't traditionally make lasagna with a white, creamy sauce.  It's a different dish if they do.

In the U.S., we use the word "lasagna" very loosely for all sorts of casseroles layered with long, thick noodles.  Some of these "lasagna"  use a bechamel sauce, especially if it's seafood or vegetable.