Sure to be a favorite pizza to those with a taste for seafood, we simultaneously teach you how to make a béchamel sauce and classy pizza in one simple recipe.
Servings: 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Cost: $9.39
Ingredients1 plain pre-made 12” thin pizza crust
Béchamel sauce (see below)
8 oz. crab meat
2 tablespoons chopped tarragon
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Béchamel Sauce Ingredients (enough for 2 pizzas) 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups of whole milk
1⁄2 cup diced sweet onion (half of a medium size onion)
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
EquipmentSaucepan Baking sheet (for a crispier crust, place pizza directly on oven rack)
Whisk or wooden spoon
Measuring cups and spoons
DirectionsPreheat the oven according to the pizza crust package directions.
To make the béchamel sauce:
1. In a saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes.
2. Add the flour and cook for about one minute (until the mixture is light tan in color). Add nutmeg, salt, and pepper to the pan and stir.
3. Slowly add milk to the pan, stirring constantly to avoid creating a lumpy texture. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and cook over medium-low for approximately 8-10 minutes, until thick. Stir occasionally as it thickens.
(Many experts recommend adding heated milk to make a béchamel sauce to reduce the chance of having a lumpy mixture—we have found that cold milk works as long as you add it slowly and stir constantly.)
4. On a cutting board, chop two tablespoons of tarragon leaves finely (be sure to remove the leaves from the woody stems).
5. Top the pizza crust with béchamel sauce, crab, tarragon, and cheese and bake for 8-10 minutes.
*You can use the leftover Béchamel sauce to make a Mornay sauce. Traditional Mornay sauce is made with Gruyère cheese. We recommend making a “student’s Mornay” by adding 1⁄4 cup of any cheese you have in the refrigerator, warm over low heat, and serve over an omelet the next morning or over a white fish or shrimp for dinner.
