 Summary
Bechamel Sauce is one of my favorite sauces. It's light, white, creamy and oh so delicious when used over ravioli or on rigatoni and it's a nice change from traditional Italian red sauce.
Cookware used in Recipe
 2 Quart with Cover View
 4 Quart Sauce Pan with Cover View
 9X13 Bake and Roast Pan View
Prep Time
20 Minutes
Servings
6 - 8
Ingredients: Bechamel sauce: 1 stick butter (4 ounces) ½ cup and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 quart whole milk, at room temperature Pinch fresh nutmeg Sea salt and white pepper 1 cup grated fontina ½ pound thinly sliced prosciutto, julienned 1 pound dry rigatoni 3 tablespoons butter, diced
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Bechamel sauce: In a 2 Quart Sauce Pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes. Always stirring, gradually add the milk and continue to whisk until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Simmer until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. This will take approximately 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in nutmeg, ½ cup fontina, prosciutto and season with salt and white pepper.
Set aside.
In the 4 Quart Sauce Pan, bring to a boil 6 quarts of salted water. Add the rigatoni and cook for about 5 minutes. Since you will be cooking the pasta a second time in the oven, you want to make sure the inside is still hard. Drain in a colander. Return pasta to the 4 Quart and pour in bechamel sauce. Using a wooden spoon, mix well until all the pasta is coated with the sauce.
Into a greased 9''X13'' Bake and Roast Pan, pour the pasta with cream sauce. Smooth out top and sprinkle with remaining ½ cup fontina.
Dot the top with diced butter and bake in oven for 25 minutes or until bubbling and the top is golden brown. |
