Can you say... Béchamel?

Béchamel Sauce - A classic Italian white sauce. I only remember hearing it being mentioned on various Food Network shows. I had no idea how to properly make this sauce though, assuming it was a type of cheese sauce. After reading Giada's recipe for béchamel I learned that it is made by melting butter, then whisking in flour and warm milk. It sounded very blah to me, so I was anxious to see how it would turn out. Another thing that added to my anxiousness was the worry of overcooking the butter and flour mixture, or not whisking fast enough, resulting in a lumpy béchamel. This was another instance that proved my "confidence is key" theory. I followed Giada's directions, and the mixture turned out surprisingly well. After simmering for 10 minutes, the sauce was thick and ready to be seasoned. A little nutmeg, salt, and pepper was enough to take this sauce from boring, to deliciously simple. Who knew such basic ingredients could turn out to be a great sauce? Not me! My next step was to add some prosciutto and fontina cheese to this béchamel party in order to complete the baked rigatoni with béchamel sauce recipe found in Everyday Italian. Fontina cheese was introduced to me when I made my very first recipe out of Everyday Italian - a frittata with tomato, asparagus, and this appetizing cheese. It has become one of my favorite cheeses ever since! The taste is delicious but the smell... not so much. I think the taste makes makes up for its odoriferous smell. I proceeded to add the prosciutto and fontina, having pretty positive feelings on how the final product would turn out. I tossed some rigatoni with the sauce and baked it in the oven until golden brown and bubbly. Mmmmm. The sizzling sound of that baked rigatoni coming out of the oven put a smile on my chubby cheeked face (the chubbiness as a result of my surgery on Monday). While staying on the subject of my chubby cheeks, this dish was much friendlier to my sensitive teeth and jaws, so I could actually taste it. This recipe was appropriately listed under a section in Everyday Italian called "Everyday Indulgences." It's the kind of dish that makes you want to curl up on the couch on a rainy day and watch a movie. Overall, it was a great success!! Even my two biggest critics approved - the parents; a much needed confidence boost. Béchamel sauce is definitely something that I can experiment with, and I'm thankful that Giada showed me how to make it! I only hope that I'm pronouncing Béchamel correctly.


Time spent: 1 hour