Croque Monsieur: Baked Ham and Cheese Toast
·Toast the bread
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Arrange the slices of toasting bread on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and toast them on both sides until golden. Meanwhile, grate the Gruyère cheese.
Make the béchamel sauce
Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add the plain flour and whisk until you get a pale roux. Keep whisking for about 2-3 minutes, until the raw flour taste cooks off.
Thicken the béchamel
Gradually pour in the cold milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Cook over low heat, stirring all the time, until the sauce thickens to a creamy consistency. This should take about 5-7 minutes.
Season the sauce
Remove the finished béchamel from the heat and season with salt, freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of grated nutmeg.
Assemble the toasts
Generously spread béchamel sauce over one of the toasted slices. Top with the ham slices and sprinkle over some of the grated cheese.
Finish the toasts
Lightly spread Dijon mustard on one side of the top slice and béchamel sauce on the other side. Place it béchamel-side down onto the ham and cheese. Sprinkle the remaining grated cheese over the top.
Bake the croque monsieur
Place the assembled sandwiches on a baking sheet and put them in the preheated oven. Bake until the cheese is beautifully melted and golden, which should take about 5-10 minutes.
Serve
Sprinkle the finished croque monsieur with freshly chopped parsley and serve immediately. Enjoy!