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Croque Monsieur Casserole

All the delicious flavours of the classic French sandwich, but in a simple baked version. Your next brunch demands this Croque Monsieur Casserole, complete with a drizzle of homemade Béchamel. It'll have you saying oui to a second helping!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 4 -6
Author Fraîche

Ingredients

  • ½ loaf day-old French bread cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 200 grams diced ham
  • 2 cups grated Gruyère cheese
  • 6 eggs
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • Chopped chives for garnish 

Homemade Béchamel Sauce

  • 1 ½ tablespoons butter
  • 1 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Pinch of nutmeg

Instructions

  1. Grease a 9 x 9-inch baking dish.

  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, Dijon, salt, and pepper. Add the bread, ham, and Gruyère cheese, and toss together to combine. Transfer into the prepared baking dish.

  3. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover, increase the heat to 400 F, and bake for around 15 minutes, until the top is golden brown.

  4. Make the Béchamel sauce while the dish finishes baking.

For the Homemade Béchamel

  1. Heat the butter in small saucepan over medium heat.
  2. Sprinkle in the flour and stir, cooking until light brown and a nutty aroma, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the milk and cook for around two minutes, until slightly thickened. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
  3. Serve warm over the casserole. It thickens as it sits; thin with some additional milk if needed.

  4. Once the casserole is baked, drizzle with the Béchamel sauce and fresh chives if using, before serving hot.

Recipe Notes

*use whichever variety of ham you prefer