Bechamel Sauce

This is one of the most frequently used sauces in pasta cookery. You find it throughout Italy but especially in Emilia-Romagna, where it is often referred to as balsamella. It is used as a key ingredient in baked pasta dishes such as cannelloni and lasagne, as well as for enriching other sauces. A sauce of equal parts besciamella and tomato puree is called Salsa Aurora, a simple and tasty sauce for penne or maccheroni when served with lots of freshly grated grana.