Croque Monsieur Mac and Cheese

Votes: 1

Time: 55 min.
Complexity: easily
Servings: 4

If you're having trouble deciding between a hot ham and cheese sandwich or macaroni and cheese for breakfast, this casserole will do the trick. This combination of American mac and cheese and the French croque monsieur will be a family favorite. Layers of macaroni and cheese are layered in a baking dish, alternating with all the sandwich components: ham, bread cubes, and cheese. The final layer is the bread, which develops a crispy golden crust when baked. This casserole is perfect for both brunch and dinner.

The recipes use measuring containers with the following volumes:
1 glass (st.) - 250 ml.
3/4 cup (st.) - 180 ml.
2/3 cup (st.) - 160 ml.
1/2 cup (st.) - 125 ml.
1/3 cup (st.) - 80 ml.
1/4 cup (st.) - 60 ml.
1 tablespoon (tbsp) - 15 ml.
1 teaspoon (tsp) - 5 ml.
1/5 teaspoon (tsp) - 1 ml.

Ingredients for the recipe:

220 g ziti pasta
2 cups of milk
2 cups coarsely grated Gruyere (about 170 g)
1 cup finely grated Parmesan (about 110 g)
2 large eggs
3 slices white sandwich bread, cubed
2 tbsp unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing the pan
1 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tbsp. premium flour
A pinch of cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
220 g thin slices of ham

Ingredient Substitution Suggestions

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Recipes with similar ingredients: pasta ziti, ham, eggs, milk, Gruyere cheese, Parmesan cheese, nutmeg, ground cayenne pepper

Cooking the dish according to the recipe:

Preheat oven to 220°C.
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 6 minutes. Drain and transfer the pasta to a large bowl; toss with 1/4 cup milk.

Meanwhile, combine both cheeses in a bowl. In another bowl, mix 1/4 cup of milk with the eggs; stir in the bread and add half of the cheese.
In a saucepan over high heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and garlic; cook, stirring, until darkened, 2 minutes. Sprinkle with the flour, cayenne pepper, nutmeg, and 1 teaspoon coarse salt; cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in 3/4 cup water and the remaining 1 1/2 cups milk and bring to a boil, stirring. Remove from heat and cool slightly, whisking. Stir in the remaining cheese, then add the pasta and toss to combine.
Grease a shallow baking dish with butter. Add half the pasta, top with some ham, and cover with the remaining pasta. Top with the remaining ham, then cover with the bread mixture.
Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let rest for a few minutes and serve.

Categories:

recipe / Breakfast / Main courses / Casseroles / Pasta / Eggs and dairy products / Food Network - recipes / American cuisine

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