Two slices of bread, filled with ham and cheese, spread with a creamy béchamel and gratinated until the cheese bubbles golden brown. The French toastie that is on every Parisian bistro menu, and with a fried egg on top becomes a croque madame.
Croque monsieur
Region: Paris
Croque monsieur
Region: Paris
Method
01
Make the béchamel
Melt the butter, stir in the flour and cook for 1–2 minutes. Add the milk little by little, stirring constantly, to a thick, smooth sauce. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.
02
Fill the sandwiches
Lightly spread each slice of bread with butter on the outside and with mustard on the inside. Top two slices with ham and some of the cheese, cover with the other slices.
03
Béchamel and cheese
Preheat the oven grill. Place the sandwiches on a baking tray and spread the béchamel over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
04
Gratinate
Put under the grill for 5–8 minutes until the cheese is melted golden brown and bubbling and the bread is crisp.
05
Serve
Serve immediately, piping hot, with a fresh little salad alongside.
Tips & notes
For a croque madame, place a fried egg on top just before serving. Briefly toast the bread dry in a pan or toaster before you coat it; that stops the whole thing turning soggy under the béchamel. A croque monsieur is best straight from the oven.
Variations
- Replace the ham with smoked salmon for a modern, festive variant.
- Briefly dip the whole sandwich in beaten egg before baking for a croque monsieur 'à la française', which makes it almost a wentelteefje (Dutch French toast).
Contains:
Gluten
Milk
Mustard
Serve with
| Calories | 652 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 34 g |
| Carbohydrates | 38 g |
| Fat | 40 g |
| Fibre | 2 g |
Estimated values, calculated from standard nutritional values per ingredient.
