Béchamel Sauce - cooking recipe

Ingredients

7 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
31/2 cups milk, heated just until steaming
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper

Preparation

1. Melt butter in a heavy-bottom, medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add flour, whisking constantly. Cook, whisking occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes; do not let roux brown.

2. Whisking constantly, add about 2 tablespoons hot milk to saucepan.

3. Pour half of the remaining hot milk into the saucepan in small increments, whisking the mixture constantly, until a smooth paste forms.

4. Whisk remaining milk into pan; add nutmeg and salt. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, making sure to scrape bottom and sides until sauce is thick and creamy, about 15 minutes; if any lumps form, stir sauce rapidly with a whisk. Season with pepper; remove from heat. Let sauce stand until lukewarm, about 30 minutes before assembling lasagna.