bechamel sauce

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 1/4 cup milk
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (optional) 
salt and pepper




Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour.
Pour in all the milk, whisking constantly until it starts to boil.
Season with salt, lower the heat, cover and simmer gently, stirring occiasionally, for at least 20 minutes.
Bechamel sauce should not taste floury. Remove pan from the heat. Taste and add more salt if necessary and season with pepper and/or nutmeg.

Note! 

If sauce is too thick, add a little more milk.
If too runny, return to the heat and add a pat of butter mixed with equal quantity of all-purpose flour.
For a richer Bechamel, replace half the milk with the same amount of heavy cream.
For a lighter Bechamel, add half milk and half water.