Making béchamel sauce used to be one of the first lessons in home economics classes; invariably white and pasty, it coated many a bland dish. When well made, however, this classic white sauce has a proper place in homey, creamed dishes, often making leftovers stretch or giving cooked foods new life. And it is important as a base for soufflés. The French term for this medium-thick white sauce is béchamel. The foolproof way to attain a perfectly smooth sauce is to have the milk hot when added to the butter and flour. It uses an extra pot, but as you become more proficient, this cautionary measure may not be necessary.

　　This recipe was adapted for style from ‘The Fannie Farmer Cookbook’ by Marion Cunningham. Buy the full book on Amazon.

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What you’ll need

　　Chevron

　　Chevron

　　Small Saucepan

　　$235 $120 At Amazon

　　Kosher Salt

　　$12 $11 At Amazon

　　Pepper

　　$8 At Burlap and Barrel

　　Silicone Spatula

　　$10 At Amazon

　　

Ingredients

Makes about 1 cup

　　2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

　　2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

　　1¼ cups whole milk, heated

　　Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　

Step 1

Warm the milk on low heat until little bubbles form at the edges; remove from heat.

　　

Step 2

Melt 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Stir in 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the paste cooks and bubbles a bit, but don't let it brown, about 2 minutes. Slowly add 1¼ cups whole milk, heated, whisking to incorporate. Bring it to a boil, stirring constantly, as sauce thickens. Add kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Reduce to low heat, and cook, stirring, 2–3 minutes more. Remove from the heat.

　　Do ahead: To cool this sauce for later use, cover it with wax paper or pour a layer of milk over it to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

　　VARIATION:

　　Cheese Sauce: Stir in ½ cup grated cheddar cheese during the last 2 minutes of cooking, along with a pinch of cayenne pepper.

　　Excerpted by permission of Knopf from The Fannie Farmer Cookbook: Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of America's Great Classic Cookbook, copyright © 1996 by Marion Cunningham. All rights reserved. Buy the full book from Amazon or Bookshop.