Serrano Ham Croquetas

A golden, brittle crust hiding a creamy béchamel center infused with Serrano ham. The contrast between the crunchy exterior and the melting cream defines this Spanish classic.

• Prep time: 40 min
• Cook time: 25 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 734
• Protein: 28 g
• Carbs: 60 g
• Fat: 42 g

Ingredients

• 100 g Minimum butter sweet ( cubed )
• 1 piece Onion ( very finely chopped )
• 150 g Serrano ham ( finely diced )
• 100 g Wheat flour
• 800 ml Whole milk
• 1 pinch Nutmeg
• 1 pinch Gray sea salt
• 1 pinch Black pepper ground
• 2 piece Egg ( beaten )
• 150 g Breadcrumbs
• 500 ml Sunflower oil ( for frying )

Instructions

1. Aromatic base

   Melt the butter in a pan. Sauté the finely chopped onion until translucent, then add the Serrano ham cut into very small cubes so it starts releasing its fat.

2. Flouring and binding

   Pour the flour all at once over the mixture. Stir vigorously with a spatula for 2 minutes to cook the flour without browning it; a biscuit-like smell should emerge.

3. Cooking the dough

   Gradually pour in the milk while whisking. The sauce must thicken until it pulls away from the sides of the pan and heavily coats the spoon. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper.

4. Cold rest

   Spread the dough on a tray, cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate. The dough must be completely firm to the touch before shaping.

5. Breading and frying

   Form cylinders with the cold dough. Dip them in beaten egg then in breadcrumbs. Plunge into hot oil until the crust is uniformly golden and crispy.

Chef's tips

• The secret lies in the béchamel cooking: it must be much thicker than a classic sauce to be shapeable.
• Do not skip the cold rest, otherwise your croquetas will burst during frying.
• The oil must be very hot (180°C) to sear the crust instantly.

Storage

Eat immediately for the crunch. You can freeze the croquetas once breaded but before frying.