Croque baguette

The Croque Baguette is a French variant of the classic Croque Monsieur, but it uses a baguette instead of sandwich bread. As Il Cucinologo, I will add an Italian twist to this French specialty. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 baguette (preferably fresh from the day)
• 4 slices of cooked ham (or, for a more Italian flavor, you can use mortadella or prosciutto crudo)
• 100 g of grated Gruyère cheese (or a similar Italian cheese like Fontina)
• 2 tablespoons of soft butter
• 2 tablespoons of flour
• 250 ml of milk
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Grated nutmeg (optional)
• Dijon mustard (optional, for spreading on the baguette)

Preparation

1. Start by preparing the béchamel sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add the flour and stir for a couple of minutes to form a roux. Slowly pour in the milk, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Bring the sauce to a slight boil and let it thicken for a few minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste. Once it has a good creamy consistency, remove from heat.
2. Cut the baguette in half lengthwise, and then divide each half into two or three pieces, depending on the length of the baguette and the desired size for your Croque Baguette.
3. Spread a thin layer of mustard on the inside of the baguette, if you like the slightly spicy flavor it provides.
4. Arrange the slices of ham and sprinkle with the grated cheese. If you have chosen an Italian cheese, set some aside to sprinkle on top at the end.
5. Spread a generous layer of béchamel over the top of the ham and cheese, then top with the other half of the baguette as if it was a lid.
6. Sprinkle the top with the remaining grated cheese (this is the Italian addition instead of the extra béchamel often used in France).
7. Place your Croque Baguettes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese on top is well browned and the baguette is crispy.
8. For an extra crispy finishing touch, you can turn on the broiler for the last 2-3 minutes of cooking.

Interesting Facts

The term “Croque” comes from the French verb “croquer” which means “to bite” and refers to the texture of this sandwich, both crispy and gooey. Also, the habit of grating the Croque Monsieur is a tradition from the early 1900s in France, while the variant with fried eggs on top is called Croque Madame, because the egg is said to resemble an old-fashioned women’s hat. With the addition of an Italian touch like mortadella or prosciutto crudo, the Croque Baguette is enriched with flavors familiar to us Italians while still maintaining its French spirit.