The Croque Monsieur (pronounced croak-missyou) is the”real” French toasted sandwich topped with béchamel sauce. It originated in French cafés and bars as a quick snack. Here we have baked toasted sandwiches placed into the oven to bake instead of being toasted in a toasting machine.
This Breakfast Croque must be prepared the night before you bake it.
INGREDIENTS:
8 slices of toasting bread
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
8 thin slices of Gruyere cheese (I used a tasty cheddar successfully)
4 thin slices of ham
7 eggs
1 tsp salt
pinch of pepper
1/2 cup milk
5 tblsp grated Emmental, Gruyere or cheddar cheese
2 tsp thyme
2tsp soy sauce, 1/4 tsp lemon juice, 1/4 tsp sugar – OR Instead of combining those 3 ingredients I used a good sprinkling of Worcestershire Sauce and found it more flavoursome.
TO PREPARE:
Spread the mustard on one side of the bread slices, then put the cheese against the mustard with the ham sandwiched between the cheese. Make 4 sandwiches and cut each one into a triangle.
Place the sandwiches into an oven proof dish. They will have to fit tightly against each other.
Beat together the eggs, thyme, salt, pepper and milk, then pour this over the sandwiches which are tightly packed in the dish. Cover the dish with plastic food wrap and leave in the fridge overnight.
Next morning, preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
Remove the plastic, sprinkle grated cheese over the sandwiches, sprinkle a bit of Worcestershire sauce (or sauce mix) over the top and bake for 25 minutes.
When ready, carefully remove each sandwich and enjoy this different style of toasted sandwich.
.
