Croquetas with serrano ham, the little spanish tapas
Let's travel straight to Spain and eat some tapas, here we show you how to make the famous croquetas with Serrano ham. With a crunchy crust, a melty bechamel sauce inside and some pieces of "jamon", you'll love it! We went to "Le bistrop de Picador", a Spanish tapas restaurant in Bordeaux, France (did you know? Petitchef is made in Bordeaux, in France!), where the chef delivered to us his secret recipe. Follow our step by step recipe below ↓↓
Ingredients
For the breadcrumbs :
Preparation
In a saucepan, heat the milk with the Serrano ham over medium heat, without bringing to the boil.
In another saucepan, melt the butter.
Add the flour, stir and cook for 3 minutes.
Remove from the heat and add the milk + Serrano ham mixture.
Mix well.
Blend lightly to retain a few pieces of Serrano ham.
Heat the mixture over medium heat. Stir with a wooden spatula in 8s, until the mixture thickens. Taste the mixture and add salt to taste.
You'll know the mixture is ready when it forms a slight paste that pulls away from the bottom of the pan.
Place the batter in a rectangular dish, not very high. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent a crust from forming. Leave to cool on the table.
Then place in the fridge for 30 minutes to harden slightly.
After this time in the fridge, cut out small portions with a spoon.
Place in breadcrumbs.
Take a portion of the batter between your hands and make circular movements until you form small balls.
Beat the 2 eggs and add a little milk.
Place the croquetas in this mixture.
Retrieve them and coat one last time with breadcrumbs before frying.
Boil your cooking oil (ideally in a deep fryer, but you can also boil your oil in a high-sided frying pan or saucepan, taking care not to burn yourself).
Dip the croquetas in the oil and cook until golden-brown.
Once cooked, remove the croquetas from the oil and leave them to rest on a paper towel before arranging them on a plate.
Your croquetas are now ready for a Spanish-style aperitif! Serve with a good white wine, a few salad leaves and enjoy!
Observations
Cooking: It's very important to carry out the entire cooking stage in a saucepan over medium heat. You don't want the butter and milk to burn, let alone form lumps.
Ham: If you don't have Serrano ham, although it tastes better, you can make this recipe with cured or white ham. The texture will simply not be the same, depending on the quality of the pork and the thickness of the pieces.
Storage: Best eaten hot, the same day, to keep the crispiness! As with all deep-fried recipes, the next day the texture will not be the same.
You want to make croquetas in your Air fryer? Here is the recipe!
