Meatless Croque Monsieur with Pesto
 
 
Author/ Συγγραφέας:
Recipe type/ Τύπος Πιάτου: Breakfast/Brunch
Cuisine/ Κουζίνα: French
Ingredients/ Συστατικά
For the Pesto Sauce
  • This can be prepared even two days before and be reserved in the fridge
  • 25 gr. / 0.88 oz. basil leaves
  • 16 gr. / 0.5 oz. pine nuts
  • 16 gr. / 0.5 oz. grated parmesan
  • 47 gr. / 1.6 oz. olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove
For the Thick Béchamel
  • 1 cup milk, divided
  • 3 tbsp corn starch
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • Salt, pepper
  • ½ tsp nutmeg
  • 3 tbsp any cheese you like (parmesan, Monterey Jack, Gruyere etc.)
For the Sandwich
  • 6 slices of toast bread
  • Grated mozzarella cheese
  • 3 slices of tomato cut in half
Instructions/ Εκτέλεση
For the Pesto Sauce
  1. In a skillet in medium heat toast the pine nuts for about five minutes.
  2. In a food processor add all the ingredients of the pesto sauce and pulse until you get a smooth paste.
  3. Place in a glass jar with a lid and keep in the fridge until usage.
  4. Preheat oven to 175°C / 350°F.
For the Easy Béchamel Sauce
  1. While the oven gets warm you can make the béchamel.
  2. In a pot in medium heat pour half of the milk and the butter.
  3. In a bowl add the rest half of the milk and the corn starch and whisk to incorporate.
  4. When the milk in the pot is hot pour the milk/cornstarch batter and whisk until it starts to thicken.
  5. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg.
  6. Remove from stove and add the egg slowly while whisking.
  7. Return to fire, lower it to low and add the cheese.
  8. Stir for the cheese to melt and turn off the heat.
  9. Take the 6 slices of bread and brush them with olive oil.
  10. Place them in the preheated oven and bake them for 4 minutes on one side and flip and bake for another two.
  11. Take them out of the oven and let the oven open.
  12. Add in each slice one tbsp. of the béchamel sauce.
  13. Place one slice on top of the other.
  14. Add a tbsp of béchamel and about 3 tbsp of mozzarella cheese.
  15. Spread couple of tsp of pesto sauce and add two halves of a tomato slice per sandwich.
  16. Bake for 3 to 4 minutes and then turn the broiler on and broil for a minute or two max.
  17. Remove from the oven and serve.
Notes/ Σημειώσεις
If you want to use Bechamel as a sauce you must decrease the amount of cornstarch to two tbsp. Here we want a thick one that stands on the sandwich.
Recipe by Culinary Flavors at https://www.culinaryflavors.gr/meatless-croque-monsieur-with-pesto/