A milk sauce is better known by the classical French name - béchamel sauce, a little less frequently by the Italian - balsamella, and known by everyone around the world as a white sauce. It is used for all kinds of egg, vegetable, gratin, and pasta dishes, casseroles, and cream soups.

The simplest recipe for a white sauce is 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons of flour cooked gently for a couple of minutes, to which a cup of hot milk is added. Whisk vigorously and let it cook gently for a bit. If you want a thinner sauce, use 1 tablespoon each of butter and flour. If you want a thicker sauce, use three tablespoons each. For a little more elaborate recipe, click on the link above.