← Nouns Cooking · French

Ingredients

• 20 g Butter
• 20 g Plain (all-purpose) flour
• 200 ml Milk
• 1 pinch Nutmeg
• salt and white or black pepper
• 4 slices sourdough or good white bread
• 15 g butter, softened
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 4 slices good ham (about 120 g)
• 120 g Gruyère, grated

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan, 400°F) and line a baking tray. Melt the butter for the béchamel in a small pan, stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the milk gradually and simmer for 3–4 min, whisking, until thick. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.
2. Butter one side of each bread slice and lay them buttered-side down on the tray. Spread the two bottom slices with Dijon, add a thin layer of béchamel, the ham and half the cheese, then put the other slices on top, buttered side up.
3. Spread the rest of the béchamel over the tops and scatter with the remaining cheese.
4. Bake for 10 min, until the bread is crisp underneath. Then switch to the grill and cook for 2–3 min more, watching closely, until the top is bubbling and golden-brown. Serve hot with a sharp green salad.

Tips

• Top each one with a fried egg and it becomes a croque madame.
• Grated Emmental or Comté work well in place of Gruyère.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

RecipeTin Eats BBC Good Food