October 21 2022
We’ve elevated the humble ham and cheese toastie by giving it a French-inspired twist. Topped with silky crème fraîche and a delicious, planet-friendly egg, croque madame has never been easier and provides the perfect moment to make the most of leftover bread, keeping food waste to a minimum.
Preparation time
20 minutes
Serves
2
Ingredients
• 4 slices of white bread
• 20g unsalted butter, softened
• 50g Gruyère or extra mature cheddar
• 100g crème fraîche
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 4 slices of ham
• 2 Respectful eggs
Method
Pre-heat the grill to medium, then arrange the slices of bread on a baking tray. Spread half of the butter on one side of the bread, all the way to the crust, and grill for 1 to 2 minutes, until browned.
Meanwhile mix half of the cheese with half the crème fraîche and a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper.
Turn the bread over and evenly spread 2 of the pieces of bread with mustard. Spread half of the crème fraîche over the bread and top with the ham. Add the other 2 slices of bread on top of the ham, buttered side up, to create a sandwich.
Over the top of the sandwich, spread the remaining crème fraîche and sprinkle over the remaining cheese, then place under the grill for 5 minutes, until golden and bubbling.
Meanwhile melt the remaining butter in a frying pan and fry the eggs to your liking.
Serve the croque madame topped with the egg, alongside a crisp salad.
