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Croquetas de Jamón
5 from 2 votes

Croquetas de Jamón

Croquetas de jamón are very popular croquettes of Spanish cuisine that are prepared with Serrano ham and béchamel sauce.

Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
40 mins
Rest Time
2 hrs
Total Time
1 hr 40 mins
Servings: 10 croquetas
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Spanish

Ingredients

For the béchamel sauce
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 5 tablespoons flour
  • 2½ cups milk
  • 1 clove garlic , chopped
  • ¼ onion , chopped
  • 4 oz. serrano ham , diced
  • salt
  • black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg freshly grated
  • 2 tablespoons butter for brushing, melted
For the breading and frying
  • 1 egg , beaten
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2½ cups breadcrumbs
  • vegetable oil (for frying)
Equipment
  • pastry brush
  • Gratin dish
  • parchment paper

Instructions

Béchamel sauce
    Cup of Yum
  1. Pour the milk into a non-stick pan, add the pieces of ham and heat. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes and let cool.
  2. In another non-stick saucepan, heat the butter over low heat, sauté the garlic and onion without browning, but just until tender.
  3. Add the flour all at once and mix well.
  4. Cook for about 2 minutes over low heat, stirring constantly. The mixture should be thick.
  5. Remove from the heat and add the cooled milk and ham mixture in small batches while whisking.
  6. Rest the pan on low to medium heat, and whisk until you have a thick béchamel sauce.
  7. Add the grated nutmeg, pepper and salt if necessary, as the ham is already salty.
  8. Line a 8 x 5 x 2 inches (18 x 13 x 4 cm) rectangular baking dish with parchment paper.
  9. Pour the béchamel.
  10. Tap the dish on the work surface to remove bubbles and level.
  11. Let the sauce sit for 10 minutes at room temperature, then, brush it with melted butter so that it does not crust.
  12. Let it cool completely.
  13. Once the béchamel has cooled, store the dish for 2 hours in the freezer to facilitate the shaping of the croquetas.
  14. Take the dish out of the freezer and divide the dough into 10 portions using a knife.
  15. Shape the croquetas in the shape of sausages.
Frying
  1. Add the flour in a deep dish, the beaten egg in a bowl and the breadcrumbs in another deep dish.
  2. Roll each croqueta in the flour, then in the beaten egg, drain and finally roll in the breadcrumbs.
  3. Place on a baking dish lined with parchment paper.
  4. Once all the croquetas are coated with the breading, heat a large quantity of oil to 350 F (170°C) and deep fry the croquetas on each side, until they are golden brown.
  5. Drain on paper towels and serve hot.