Croquettes (Croquetas)
Croquettes (Croquetas)
Ingredients
For the Croquettes
- 2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled, chopped
- 1 cup shredded jamon*
- 2 eggs
- Plain flour
- 1 cup dried breadcrumbs
- Spanish olive oil, to deep-fry
For the Bechamel Sauce
- Bechamel sauce
- 1 onion slice
- 2 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
- 4-5 black peppercorns
- 1 bay leaf
- 300ml milk
- 20g (1 tbsp) unsalted butter
- 25g plain flour
Instructions
- 1
To make the bechamel sauce, place the onion, parsley, peppercorns, bay leaf and milk in a saucepan and heat to just below boiling point, then pour into a heatproof jug and set aside for 15 minutes to infuse.
15 min - 2
Clean the saucepan, then melt the butter over low heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes. Strain the infused milk into the saucepan, discarding the solids, then cook over low heat, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until thickened. Season, then set aside to cool.
3 min - 3
Place the bechamel sauce, boiled eggs and jamon in a bowl and use your hands to shape into about 10 croquettes (short, sausage shapes).
- 4
Lightly beat the eggs with 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl. Place the flour and breadcrumbs in separate small bowls, then roll each croquette in the flour, then the egg mixture and breadcrumbs, followed by a second layer of egg mixture, then breadcrumbs. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
30 min - 5
When ready to cook the croquettes, add enough oil to a frypan to come halfway up the sides. When oil is hot (the oil is ready when a cube of bread turns golden in 1 minute), add croquettes and deep-fry until golden. (You may need to do this in batches.)
1 min
