French Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwiches
🛒Ingredients (Grocery List)
3 1/2 tbsp Unsalted Butter reserve 1/2 tbsp for buttering the Bread
2 tbsp All-purpose Flour
2– 2 1/2 cups Whole Milk
3 ounces Gruyère Cheese grated substitute with Swiss Cheese
1 tsp Ground Black Pepper
1 tsp Kosher Salt
1 Sprigs of Thyme steam removed
Sandwich Prep
1/2 tbsp Melted Unsalted Butter reserved from Béchamel Sauce
8 slices Sandwich Bread preferably rustic, or traditional Brioche toast
8 thin slices of Ham
10 ounces Gruyère Cheese, grated substitute with Swiss Cheese
🍴Serves: 6
⏰Prep Time: 10 min
⏱️Cook Time: 30 min
🥣Instructions
1. Melt the Butter over low heat in a small saucepan and add the Flour all at once, stirring with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Add Milk, bring to simmer.
2. Stream in Milk until smooth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes, until thickened. Remove from heat. Add the Salt, Pepper, grated Gruyère or Swiss Cheese and set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees with the rack in bottom third. Place 8 Bread slices on the baking sheet, Butter each toast with Unsalted Butter, then toast for a couple of minutes.
4. After the toast slices are nicely golden take it out of the oven. Just to note that you can toast bread in a large toaster or conventional oven as well if that saves you time.
5. Top each with half with Béchamel sauce, about 1 tbsp equally spread, then add slices of the Ham and Shredded Gruyère.
6. Turn the oven broiler on high and transfer the baking sheet with sandwiches in the oven, Broil until the top of the sandwiches with Béchamel sauce and Cheese begins to bubble, approximately 2 minutes.
7. Slice in half and enjoy.
💡Tips
For Croque Madame, add a fried sunny-side-up Egg on top and serve.
