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Modern technique for bechamel? - Page 2

post #31 of 37
7/1/11 at 12:04pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by phatch View Post

Skip the ricotta. Not strong enough and not creamy enough. Go with a little of something blue.



I want that separation. Ricotta is grainy and almost sweet. Is that not a good break to insert into an otherwise cheese sauced pasta?

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post #32 of 37
7/1/11 at 1:15pm

Plain old Cream cheese or Mascapone would work.

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post #33 of 37
7/3/11 at 11:20am


 

Quote:
Originally Posted by eastshores View Post


I want that separation. Ricotta is grainy and almost sweet. Is that not a good break to insert into an otherwise cheese sauced pasta?


with a dish described as mac and cheese, ricotta would not be my expectation for a cheese in the sauce. Ricotta serves better i n a filler role, providing a neutal bulk to play other flavors against. but it will not provide the proper mouthfeel and meltability.

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post #34 of 37
7/3/11 at 2:04pm
Thread Starter 

That's interesting. I routinely use things like cottage cheese or ricotta in dishes like baked ziti or lasagna specifically because it imparts a different, dryer mouth feel and mildness. I think one has to be careful not to make a dish too rich, even though some don't seem to think that is possible (like too much bacon eh?!)

 

Even still, I don't make mac and cheese as a rule, so was it particularly the texture that you thought would not go well? If that is true then I suppose you wouldn't like cottage cheese mixed in either? The idea of blue or gorgonzola sprinkled on top seems interesting, to give a real pop/tang just beneath the crunchy/savory bread crumbs, followed by creamy richness. licklips.gif

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post #35 of 37
7/3/11 at 2:16pm

lasagna is an example of how it's used as a filling layer.  but not in a cheese sauce.

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post #36 of 37
7/3/11 at 2:26pm
Thread Starter 

I wasn't going to add it to the sauce. I was going to layer it in after the sauce was mixed with the pasta. Was going to add white cheddar and parm to the bechamel, mix the cooked pasta with the sauce, then about half way up the casserole dish I would layer in ricotta or cottage cheese as well as grated sharp yellow cheddar, then layer the rest of the pasta and top it with more cheese, bread crumbs, and herbs before baking. How's that sound?

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post #37 of 37
7/4/11 at 1:35pm

To me, Bechamel is a base for sauce. It is not something I care to eat on it's own. I think that might be what some folks are saying. Rather than making the base[bechamel] then making final sauce[morney]... some have found ways that work for them to just make the final sauces. Where they can be called Morney or whatever is a different discussion.

 

Food and everything else evolves. It is one to the things that separates the guys that are aged to perfection from the wet behind the ears young guys. What we call music today is different from what they called it 50 years ago, however it is still music. Look how rock has changed... the old guys say the stuff today is not rock, however others today say Elvis was more country than rock. 

 

I make my Mac & Cheese using 40% cream and 2 year white cheddar. I add the cheese until it has the consistency and taste I am looking for.

 

I also make my Alfredoish sauce the same way, with Parmigiano Reggiano though. I put it in Ziploc bags and freeze them until I want to use. I pull the bags out and put in the freezer the day before and I scoop it out of the bag into the pan with the al dente noodles and a bit of the salty and starchy pasta water. Works like a charm for me and mine as well as easy and quick. I also cook the whole box of noodles about 2/3 of the way and refrigerate the rest so they are all ready to go. I also keep a pint of pasta water in the fridge along with a pint of bacon fat. I am just weird that way I guess, but to each their own. 

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