Ham Croquetas

Name: Ham Croquetas
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 12 h
Total time: 13 h
Cuisine: Spain
Ingredients: 80 g (5½ tbsp) unsalted butter; 2 tbsp olive oil; ½ onion, very finely chopped; 100 g (¾ cup) all-purpose flour; 750 ml (3 cups) whole milk, warm; 150 g (5 oz) jamón serrano or Ibérico, finely chopped; ¼ tsp nutmeg; 2 g (⅓ tsp) fine sea salt, the ham is salty; taste first; 80 g (⅔ cup) all-purpose flour; 2 eggs, large, beaten; 150 g (1¾ cups) fine dry breadcrumbs or panko, blitzed finer; 1½ l (6 cups) olive oil or neutral oil, for frying

Crisp shells around a molten, creamy béchamel with jamón

Makes: about 30 croquetas
Hands-on: 1 h
Total: 13 h
Level: Project

A great croqueta is mostly a very thick, very creamy béchamel — so soft it barely holds together — flavored with Spanish cured ham, chilled until firm, then breaded and fried. It shatters at the bite and melts inside. The dough needs an overnight chill, so start the day before.

Ingredients

Béchamel

80 gunsalted butter (5½ tbsp)
2 tbspolive oil
½onionvery finely chopped
100 gall-purpose flour (¾ cup)
750 mlwhole milk (3 cups)warm
150 gjamón serrano or Ibérico (5 oz)finely chopped
¼ tspnutmeg
2 gfine sea salt (⅓ tsp)the ham is salty; taste first

Coating and frying

80 gall-purpose flour (⅔ cup)
2eggslarge, beaten
150 gfine dry breadcrumbs or panko, blitzed finer (1¾ cups)
1½ lolive oil or neutral oil (6 cups)for frying

Allergens: gluten, egg, milk
Origin: Spain

Method

Melt the butter with the oil in a wide pan over medium-low heat. Cook the onion until very soft but not colored, 6–8 minutes. 7 min
Add the ham and stir 1 minute. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes until it smells toasty but stays pale. 4 min
Add the warm milk a ladle at a time, whisking each addition in fully before the next. Then switch to a wooden spoon or spatula and cook, stirring constantly, until very thick and the dough pulls away from the pan in one mass, 12–15 minutes. Season with nutmeg and salt. 14 min
Spread into an oiled dish, press plastic wrap onto the surface and refrigerate overnight, at least 12 hours, until firm. 12 h
With oiled hands or two spoons, shape the dough into 30 small logs, about 5 cm (2 in) long, of about 30 g (1 oz) each.
Roll each in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs. For extra protection against bursting, dip in egg and crumbs a second time.
Heat the oil in a heavy pot to 180°C (355°F). Fry 5–6 at a time until deep golden, 2–3 minutes. Drain on paper towel and serve hot. 15 min

Why it works

The ratio of flour to milk sets the texture: a little more flour and they are firm and pasty, a little less and they burst. Cooking the béchamel for a long time thickens it and cooks out any floury taste. Chilling overnight lets the starch set completely so the soft dough can be shaped.

Common mistakes

Shaping before it has chilled long enough: the dough sticks and slumps.
Gaps in the coating: the creamy center leaks into the oil. Coat thoroughly, twice if needed.
Oil too cool: they burst before the crust sets.

Variations

Mushroom croquetas: Replace the ham with 250 g finely chopped mushrooms sautéed until dry, and add 6 g (1 tsp) salt.
Chicken croquetas: Use 200 g finely shredded cooked chicken and replace 200 ml milk with Chicken Stock.

Make ahead and storage

Freeze breaded, uncooked croquetas on a tray, then bag; keep 3 months. Fry from frozen at 175°C (350°F), 4–5 minutes.

Notes

Total time includes the overnight chill.