Meatless Croque Monsieur with Pesto
Author/ Συγγραφέας: Katerina
Recipe type/ Τύπος Πιάτου: Breakfast/Brunch
Cuisine/ Κουζίνα: French
- 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
- 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.)
- 6 slices of toast bread
- Grated mozzarella cheese
- 3 slices of tomato cut in half
- In a skillet in medium heat toast the pine nuts for about five minutes.
- In a food processor add all the ingredients of the pesto sauce and pulse until you get a smooth paste.
- Place in a glass jar with a lid and keep in the fridge until usage.
- Preheat oven to 175°C / 350°F.
- While the oven gets warm you can make the béchamel.
- In a pot in medium heat pour half of the milk and the butter.
- In a bowl add the rest half of the milk and the corn starch and whisk to incorporate.
- When the milk in the pot is hot pour the milk/cornstarch batter and whisk until it starts to thicken.
- Add salt, pepper and nutmeg.
- Remove from stove and add the egg slowly while whisking.
- Return to fire, lower it to low and add the cheese.
- Stir for the cheese to melt and turn off the heat.
- Take the 6 slices of bread and brush them with olive oil.
- Place them in the preheated oven and bake them for 4 minutes on one side and flip and bake for another two.
- Take them out of the oven and let the oven open.
- Add in each slice one tbsp. of the béchamel sauce.
- Place one slice on top of the other.
- Add a tbsp of béchamel and about 3 tbsp of mozzarella cheese.
- Spread couple of tsp of pesto sauce and add two halves of a tomato slice per sandwich.
- Bake for 3 to 4 minutes and then turn the broiler on and broil for a minute or two max.
- Remove from the oven and serve.
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/
3.3.3070