Croque monsieur kites recipe (2024)

  • To make the pastry, set up a freestanding mixer with a dough hook attachment and grease a large bowl with a little olive oil.

  • Add the flour, then put the yeast to one side of the bowl and the salt and sugar on the opposite side.

  • In a jug, mix the eggs, milk and 4 tablespoons water. Pour into the flour mixture and mix on a low speed for 2 minutes (you may need to push the dough down the hook occasionally). Increase the speed to medium and mix for a further 6 minutes.

  • Lightly flour a work surface and tip out the dough. Shape the dough into a smooth ball. Transfer to the oiled bowl and cover either with a clean tea towel or oiled cling film. Leave to prove for an hour or until doubled in size.

  • Meanwhile, flatten the butter into a rectangle about 1cm/½in thick. Place between 2 pieces of baking paper and store in the fridge until needed.

  • Flour the work surface again, then tip out the risen dough. Flatten it and roll it out to a rectangle about 40x15cm/16x6in and about 1cm/½in thick. Arrange the dough with one of the short edges nearest to you. Lay the butter in the middle of the dough, fold the dough over the butter in the middle so the dough overlaps slightly. Pinch all the edges to seal the butter in pastry. Place in a plastic food bag and chill in the freezer for 10 minutes.

  • Place the chilled dough on a lightly floured work surface with one of the short edges nearest you. Roll out the dough into a 40x15cm/16x6in rectangle and fold into three layers (like a letter). Place in a plastic bag in the freezer for 10 minutes. Repeat the rolling and folding as before, then return to the freezer for another 10 minutes. Repeat the rolling and folding one final time, then chill the dough for 30 minutes in a plastic bag in the fridge.

  • Meanwhile, for the béchamel sauce, in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and stir constantly for about 3 minutes, until completely smooth. Pour in the milk in a thin, steady stream, whisking all the time, and cook the sauce for about 5–10 minutes, or until smooth and thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the mustard, taste and season with salt and pepper.

  • Add a third of the grated cheeses (from the savoury filling ingredients) and mix until the cheese has melted and the sauce smooth. Cover the surface of the sauce with cling film to prevent a skin forming and set aside to cool.

  • For the filling, heat the olive oil and butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Once hot, add the mushrooms, sliced pancetta and thyme and fry for about 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and porcini powder and fry for another 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper then leave to cool.

  • Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7.

  • To assemble, roll out the dough until 5mm/¼in thick and place on a large baking tray. Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes to allow the dough to rest and firm up. Re-roll if necessary until the dough is 30x40cm/12x16in. Using a sharp knife cut into twelve 10cm/4in squares.

  • Leaving a 1cm/½in border, cut a 4cm/1½in square from the middle of each square – cutting right through two opposite corners of the inner square, but leaving the other two corners just connected either side of the corner points. Brush the inside square with a little egg wash. Fold the border strip corner to corner, pulling one over the other and pressing onto opposite corner of the inner square, then repeat with the other side (watch Paul Hollywood making them toward the end of the technique video below – it’s easy when you’ve seen it done). Brush the whole pastry with egg wash.

  • In the middle of each pastry place a few spoonfuls of the mushroom pancetta filling. Lay a rasher of pancetta across each one, crinkled up, then cover with 1-2 teaspoons béchamel sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining gruyère and emmental, then season with black pepper.

  • Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the pancetta is cooked and the pastry crisp and golden-brown. Cool a little on wire racks, the pastries can be eaten warm or cold.

  • Croque monsieur kites recipe (2024)

    FAQs

    What is the difference between a croque madame and a croque monsieur? ›

    A croque madame is simply a croque monsieur with a poached or fried egg on top. The difference between the two sandwiches has to do with how the egg is incorporated into the rest of the ingredients: In a croque monsieur, the bread is dipped into the beaten egg before it's cooked (French toast-style).

    What does croque monsieur mean in English? ›

    A croque monsieur (French pronunciation: [kʁɔk məsjø]) is a hot sandwich made with ham and cheese. The name comes from the French words croque ("crunch") and monsieur ("gentleman").

    What is the difference between a Monte Cristo and a croque monsieur? ›

    A Monte Cristo sandwich is a variation of the croque monsieur, but with the addition of sliced turkey added the ham and Swiss cheese. Also, this sandwich is dipped in an egg batter, like French toast, and pan-fried instead of grilled, until golden brown.

    Do French people eat croque monsieur for breakfast? ›

    The Croque monsieur originated in France and is a popular breakfast sandwich that consists of ham, cheese, and bread.

    What can I use instead of gruyere in a croque monsieur? ›

    If you can't find Gruyere then Emmenthal would be a good substitute. However if neither of these cheeses are available in your area then we suggest using a combination of half mature (sharp) cheddar and half firm mozzarella, to give stretchy, stringily melting cheese with a good flavour.

    What does croque mean in English from French? ›

    croquer (manger):

    to crunch.

    What is a fun fact about the croque monsieur? ›

    Most croque monsieur origin stories point to Le Bel Age café and proprietor Michel Lunarca as the instigator of the croque. It's said that around 1910, the so-called “crunchy mister” got its name when Lunarca told patrons his broiled sandwiches featured “mister meat.”

    What country is croque monsieur from? ›

    France's most famous sandwich, the croque monsieur, is one such dish. On the surface, it's nothing more than a warm ham and cheese sandwich. But the croque monsieur is a perfectly harmonious and delightfully decadent sandwich, and its preparation is something of an art.

    Do you eat a croque monsieur with a fork? ›

    In addition to forking pizza and frites, the flat open face sandwiches called tartines and the grilled cheese croqoe monsieur are alwats eaten with utensils. Even the local falafel stand supplies a fork.

    What is a croque garcon? ›

    Our Croque de Garçon, an open-face burger with brie. cheese, smoked ham, caramelized onions and a fried.

    What is a croque monsieur Poilane? ›

    You've likely heard of croque monsieur, a grilled ham and cheese sandwich topped with béchamel sauce, and croque madame, the same sandwich with an egg on top.

    Who invented croque monsieur? ›

    The legendary croque-monsieur was born in Paris at the brasserie on Boulevard des Capucines in 1910. The legend began with Michel Lunarca, a bistro owner. Having no more baguette for his crusty sandwich of the day, Monsieur Lunarca decided to bake a loaf of “pain de mie”.

    Do you eat croque monsieur with your hands? ›

    While the croque-monsieur can be eaten with the hands, which in some ways is the definition of a sandwich, its spouse the croque-madame cannot be. That's because a croque-madame is identical to a croque monsieur, except with a runny fried egg added on top.

    What is the most common breakfast in France? ›

    A typical French breakfast consists of a croissant or bread with butter and jam and sometimes a sweet pastry. Fresh fruit juice and hot beverages, like coffee or tea, are also included. Here all meals for French breakfast. The tradition of eating a large meal mid-day continues at dinner time in France.

    What is the plural form of croque monsieur? ›

    croque-monsieurs - Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

    What is a Monte Cristo sandwich made of? ›

    I love a Monte Cristo! It's a fried sandwich with ham, turkey, Swiss cheese, and mustard dipped in beaten egg and pan-fried until golden and gooey for a delicious alternative to your usual ham and cheese sandwich.

    Why is croque madame called croque madame? ›

    When the sandwich features a fried egg, it's called a croque madame, as the egg resembles a woman's wide-brimmed hat. Croque madame sandwiches are sometimes served open-faced, without a slice of bread on top, like this one from @toastsforall.

    What is croque Florentine? ›

    Spread half the bechamel on the bread slices. Arrange the spinach and the sausage slices on top, overlapping then slightly. Cover with the remaining bechamel and sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake 12 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and is starting to colour. Serve hot.

    Top Articles
    Latest Posts
    Article information

    Author: Annamae Dooley

    Last Updated:

    Views: 6206

    Rating: 4.4 / 5 (65 voted)

    Reviews: 80% of readers found this page helpful

    Author information

    Name: Annamae Dooley

    Birthday: 2001-07-26

    Address: 9687 Tambra Meadow, Bradleyhaven, TN 53219

    Phone: +9316045904039

    Job: Future Coordinator

    Hobby: Archery, Couponing, Poi, Kite flying, Knitting, Rappelling, Baseball

    Introduction: My name is Annamae Dooley, I am a witty, quaint, lovely, clever, rich, sparkling, powerful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.