Recipe of the Week: Pasta with Béchamel Sauce

I wanted to make a creamy pasta with ham and peas like I had in Italy, but I didn't have any peas so I left them out.  For the creamy white sauce I used this béchamel recipe and it turned out well.  I added the bay leaf, onion, garlic, and nutmeg as it suggested in the tip.  After the sauce was done I added in sliced ham.  Yum!  I'd give it 4 out of 5 stars.  This recipe is great to have on hand because you can use it for different things, not just pasta sauce.

What You Need:

• Heavy saucepan
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp {Jules GF} flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup milk

Here's How: 

1. In a small, heavy saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over low heat.
2. Blend 2 tablespoons of flour into the melted butter.
3. Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
4. Cook over low heat, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes. Cooking for this length of time will minimize 'flour' taste.
5. Slowly add 1 cup of milk, stirring constantly.
6. Continue cooking slowly until smooth and thickened.

Tip:  To make the standard Béchamel, after adding the milk to the medium white sauce recipe add 1 small onion studded with 3 cloves, a bay leaf, and a grating of nutmeg.