The French classic croque madame is terrific for both breakfast and dinner - and as a late-night snack. The toasted bread is topped with a bechamel sauce with gruyere, ham and extra cheese, and all of that is topped with a fried egg. Enjoy it with a dollop of mustard and maybe a green salad with vinaigrette to counter to the gruyere sauce.
4 people
Ingredients
8 slices of light bread
20 g of butter
2 tbsp. wheat flour
2.5 dl milk
150 g grated Gruyere (or other firm cheese)
1 pinch nutmeg
4 tsp. Dijon mustard
8 slices of ham
4 eggs
Butter for frying
Salt and pepper
Step by step
Toast the bread until it is crispy.
Melt the butter in a pan, add wheat flour while stirring, and pour in the milk slowly while stirring so that a baked sauce is formed. Melt half of the cheese in it, and season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.
Place the bread on a baking tray with baking paper. Spread half of the bread with mustard, put a bit of bechamel sauce on top (about 2 tablespoons) and then the ham. Place the remaining bread on top and off with a bit of bechamel sauce. Finish with a sprinkling of the remaining cheese.
Put the baking tray in the oven at 180 degrees fan/200 degrees normal for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is golden and melted.
Meanwhile, fry the eggs in butter and put them on the finished Croque Madames.
Enjoy with a green salad and extra mustard.
