Mamma Giuliana’s Quick Bechamel Vegetable Side Dish
For a simple and easy side dish, try Mamma Giuliana’s quick bechamel white sauce combined with the vegetable of your choice. Inspired by the classic bechamel sauce, this version uses a rapid-make white sauce to add a delectably creamy dimension to your sides with minimal extra effort.
In her latest video, Mamma Giuliana shares her tried-and-tested trick for a quick besciamella that requires no advance preparation or time-consuming stirring. By simply adding the classic bechamel ingredients (butter, flour, and milk) to your pre-prepared vegetables and baking them in the oven, you can wow your dinner guests with an authentic-tasting dish in no time.
In the video below, the dish is made with spinach, but you can use the same technique with broccoli, cauliflower, fennel bulb, or even potatoes to enjoy a classic recipe made super-simple thanks to Mamma Giuliana’s time-saving tricks.
The origins of besciamella are, like many historic dishes, hotly contested. Although the name derives from the French chief steward to King Louis XIV, Louis de Béchamel, it is thought to have originated in Renaissance Tuscany and brought to France in 1533 by Catherine de’ Medici. Italian Renaissance texts mention a salsa colla or glue sauce, referring to its sticky consistency and its use to bind ingredients together.
Whatever its history, the execution of a perfect bechamel sauce is key to many recipes in classic French and Italian cookery. The base of the sauce is a roux, a thick mixture of butter and flour, to which milk is gradually added while whisking to obtain a creamy texture. In Italy, it is often seasoned with nutmeg before being used as a key component in pasta dishes such as lasagne or cannelloni, or, as in this case, adding a new dimension to simply prepared vegetables.
Quick Bechamel Vegetable Side Dish Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- Salt
- Nutmeg
- Pre-prepared vegetables (spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, fennel bulb, or potatoes)
Instructions
- Prepare the Roux: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and stir continuously until it forms a thick paste.
- Add Milk: Gradually pour in the milk, constantly whisking to avoid lumps. Continue to whisk until the sauce thickens and becomes creamy.
- Season: Add a pinch of salt and a dash of nutmeg to the sauce, stirring well.
- Combine and Bake: Place your pre-prepared vegetables in a baking dish. Pour the bechamel sauce over the vegetables, ensuring they are well-coated. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for about 20-25 minutes, or until the top is golden and bubbly.
- Serve: Serve hot, straight from the oven, and enjoy the creamy, comforting flavors.
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