Do you know this sauce? (French)

[Orbit]

I just got back from Paris, where I had ricotta-stuffed ravioli in an amazing, subtle, thin white sauce with parsley that was amazing. It tasted like it had a slight amount of earthy, subtle cheese in it. The color was absolutely white, but it wasn't heavy or creamy. I would like to re-produce this at home--any ideas on what it was? Is this a standard sauce recipe in France for pasta? Any recipe suggestions?

Edited June 1, 2016 by Orbit (log)

[jayt90]

It may be a thin, delicate mornay. Start with a thin bechamel, and finish with very white grated cheddar or Reggiano. 

[Orbit]

Thanks! I looked up the Mornay, and it does look right. I'm going to try this tonight!

[nickrey]

Try a bit without the cheese as well, it sounds more like a Béchamel with parsley rather than a mornay sauce with parsley. The earthy, subtle cheese flavour could well have been cultured butter used in preparing the roux.

[pufin3]

When I lived in France I enjoyed the sauce you describe.

IMO as already posted the sauce was likely a bechamel. The subtle cheesy flavor was very likely the cultured butter very commonly used, especially in N. France.

Adding any cheese is going to make the sauce too cheesy tasting.

A common fault, IMO, and the opinion of millions of N. Mediterranean pasta lovers, with many N. American pasta recipes is adding a sauce which obliterates the flavor of the pasta. 

The whole point is to enjoy the flavor of the pasta. The pasta flavor is supposed to be the 'star'. The sauce is supposed to be just a very subtle flavor enhancer.

[Thanks for the Crepes]

I agree about bechamel having a surprisingly cheesy flavor at times. When I do scalloped potatoes, I do them from 2 pounds thin-sliced raw potatoes, with nothing more than a 1/4 c finely minced raw onion and 4 cups thinish bechamel sauce alternated in 3 layers in a covered baking dish. I cook it at 350 F and remove the cover after an hour and let it go for another 30 minutes. Many cannot believe I do not add cheese to the dish. I think cheese would ruin for to me.

 

It must be the long cook, because I don't use cultured butter or any special expensive ingredients. I also brown the roux until blond before adding 2 % milk, but that's it. It is a transcendent dish with simple and cheap components.

 

@Orbit I hope you can find something that will duplicate what you are seeking. Maybe simmer and stir a bechamel for a while, and see it that does it for you. If not, you can always add a little mild cheese. Or not. 

[Lisa Shock]

I've been thinking maybe it was like the original Alfredo, although that's really a process not a sauce. You can make it in a bowl without the noodles, just let the butter get to be very soft and make sure that you grate the parmesean with a very, very fine grater so that it's like powder. The pasta water is useful for thinning the sauce.