Béchamel Sauce (basic)

Ingredients

• 50 g butter
• 50 g white wheat flour
• 1000 ml milk
• 1 small onion
• 1 fresh bay leaf
• to taste salt
• to taste pepper

Steps

1. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat.
2. Whisk in the flour to make a roux.
3. Cook the roux over gentle heat for 3–5 minutes, but do not brown.
4. This cooking is necessary to remove the floury taste.
5. In a separate pot, begin heating the milk.
6. Peel the onion, but do not cut it.
7. Add the onion and bay leaf into the pot with the milk.
8. Keep stirring until the milk is heated to 80°C.
9. Do not let the milk adhere and cook to the pot bottom.
10. Remove the onion and bay leaf.
11. Gradually whisk the heated milk into the cooked roux.
12. Add salt and pepper to taste.
13. Stir and cook for 15 minutes until thickened.
14. No lumps should be present.