Snack

Ham Croquetas

Name: Ham Croquetas
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 105 min
Total time: 135 min
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 75g Plain flour; 2 large Eggs, beaten; 75g Breadcrumbs; Sunflower oil, For frying; 4 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil; 1/2 Leek; 70g Jamón ibérico; 60g Plain flour; 75 ml Vegetable stock; 330ml Milk; Nutmeg, grated, Grated; Black pepper, To taste; Salt, To taste

Creamy Spanish ham croquetas with a crisp breadcrumb coating, fried until golden.

2 hr 15 min
80 kcal
Spanish

Mellowpan tip: Makes 20 servings, plenty to share.

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Ingredients

For 20 servings

Steps

Step 1:
Heat the olive oil in a pan until it starts to shimmer.
Step 2:
Add the leek and sauté until soft but not coloured.
Step 3:
Stir in the ham with a wooden spoon and fry for 1 minute.
1 min
Step 4:
Stir in 60g of the flour and fry over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes until golden but not burnt.
5 min
Step 5:
Combine the vegetable stock and milk in a small pan and heat until steaming but not boiling.
Step 6:
Season the liquid with a few scrapes of grated nutmeg.
Step 7:
Gradually add the hot liquid to the filling, a few tablespoons at a time, stirring constantly.
Step 8:
Cook the filling over a medium heat for about 10 minutes, until thickened and pulling away from the sides of the pan when stirred.
10 min
Step 9:
Season with black pepper, taste, and adjust the salt if necessary.
Step 10:
Smooth the mixture onto a baking tray.
Step 11:
Once it has stopped steaming, cover with cling film to prevent it drying out.
Step 12:
Leave to cool, then refrigerate for 1 hour.
1 h
Step 13:
Set out three bowls: one with 75g flour, one with beaten egg, and one with breadcrumbs.
Step 14:
Remove the ham mixture from the fridge and lightly oil your hands with olive oil.
Step 15:
Roll spoonfuls of the mixture between your palms into croquetas, preferably walnut-sized balls.
Step 16:
Coat each croqueta first in flour, then egg, and finally breadcrumbs.
Step 17:
Place the coated croquetas on a tray and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
30 min
Step 18:
Heat the sunflower oil to 180C in a deep-fat fryer, or heat it in a deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan until shimmering.
Step 19:
Fry 5–6 croquetas at a time for a couple of minutes, until golden all over.
Step 20:
Drain on kitchen paper and serve straight away.