Ingredients
For the bechamel sauce
- 400 ml milk
- 70 g serrano ham without the excess fat
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 onion (40g approx) cut in small cubes
- 1 garlic clove finely grated or minced
- 60 g all purpose flour
- 1/8 tsp ground or grated nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 50 g manchego cheese, freshly grated
For the breading and frying
- 100 g all purpose flour
- 2 eggs + 2 tsp water
- 100 g breadcrumbs
- 500-1000 ml vegetable oil for frying enough so the croquetas can be fully submerged
Instructions
For the bechamel
- Chop the serrano ham in cubes and cook it in the milk on medium heat for about 3min from the point where it starts steaming.
- Cook the onion in a bit of the olive oil from the recipe over medium-low heat until soft and translucent.
- Add the garlic and cook for a few seconds. Don't let it become golden.
- Add the rest of the olive oil, salt, nutmeg and flour and mix using a whisk over medium heat.
- Cook the mix for a minute from the moment it starts boiling.
- Turn the heat off and add the milk little by little and whisking in between to make sure no lumps form.
- Once all the milk has been incorporated return to a medium heat and whisk constantly until it starts boiling.
- Add the manchego cheese and mix.
- Transfer to a container and cover with cling film. Make sure the cling film touches the surface of the bechamel sauce so a skin doesn't form.
- Once cooled to room temperature take to the fridge for at least 2 hours and a maximum of 4 days.
For the breading and frying
- Prepare 3 bowls: one with flour, the other with egg and water whisked together and the last one with breadcrumbs.
- Make ovals or balls on your hands and pass through the flour, always removing the excess. Make this with all of them first so you don't bread your hands.
- Then pass through the egg using always the same hand and make sure the excess drips off.
- Finally pass through the breadcrumbs with the other hand always.
- Heat the oil over medium heat, it should bubble when the croquetas go in.
- Fry until golden and serve immediately.
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