Thursday, June 17, 2010

White Sauce – using spelt flour

 

 

Spelt flour is an excellent alternative to wheat flour (you know how I feel about white flour).

It’s easy…. use it the same way you would white flour, but you may need to add more fluid.

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  1. In a small, heavy saucepan, melt 2-4 tablespoons of butter over low heat.
  2. Blend 2-4 tablespoons of spelt  flour into the melted butter.
  3. Cook over low heat, stirring for 4-5 minutes until the mixture is crumbly. Cooking for this length of time will minimize 'flour' taste.
  4. Slowly add 1-2 cups of milk, stirring constantly (I whisk with a metal fork).
  5. Continue cooking slowly until smooth and thickened.
  6. For thin white sauce, follow the instructions above, but use 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of flour. Thin white sauce is used in cream soups.
  7. For thick white sauce, follow the instructions above, but use 3 tablespoons of butter and 3 tablespoons of flour. Thick white sauce is used in soufflés.
  8. For heavy white sauce, follow the instructions above, but use 4 tablespoons of butter and 4 tablespoons of flour. Heavy white sauce is used as a binder for croquettes. 

You can add mozzarella or parmesan cheese to taste.

What I use white sauce for:

  • lasagne
  • vegie bakes
  • as a pasta base to salmon, dill, capers etc
  • to cream soups
  • to add bind/ texture to vegetable, tuna and lentil patties

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I don’t use white sauce more than once or twice a month… it’s like desert – it’s not something that you want to make a habit of as bribery, to disguise vegetables or flavours, but rather to add new dimensions to left over's & large cook-ups.

 

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