Croque Madame Mac and Cheese
If you’ve ever been to Paris or even just any French bistro or cafe back home, chances are that you’ve either eaten or seen a croque madame or croque monsieur before. It’s like a fancy French ham and cheese sandwich topped with béchamel and a fried egg (if you go the madame route). It’s one of my favorite lunchtime/brunch recipes to make because they’re easy and won’t make you want to take a nap afterwards. I wanted to take that classic French sandwich and give it the ol’ American mac and cheese twist. Blasphemous? Maybe. But delicious? Most certainly. This Croque Madame Mac and Cheese is here to steal your heart away.
If you’re looking to spruce up your mac and cheese game from the beloved and classic version you make all the time, why not give this one a try? It might seem really heavy, but it’s surprisingly lighter than the traditional kind. Not lighter as in healthy but lighter as in perfect for lunch or a weekend brunch. It’s still just as cheesy and delicious, I promise. Let me know below if you have any questions or comments.
Croque Madame Mac and Cheese
Equipment
- Pot
- Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta any short cut such as macaroni or cavatappi will do
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 large dried bay leaf or fresh
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme plus more for garnish
- Kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon dijon or grainy mustard
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- 8 ounces good quality ham sliced
- 6 large eggs
- 1 cup torn baguette pieces
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Bring a large pot of cold water to a boil. Season liberally with salt and add in the pasta. Cook until al dente, according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Set a large oven-safe skillet over medium high heat with 3 tablespoons butter. Once melted, whisk in the flour and cook for about 30 seconds or so. Slowly stream in the milk, while whisking constantly. Stir in the bay leaves and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season liberally with salt and black pepper and add the mustard. Remove from the heat and stir in the parmesan and 1 cup of gruyere until melted through. Add the cooked pasta and the ham and stir until well combined.
- Make small wells throughout the mac and cheese and carefully crack an egg into each. Top with the remaining gruyere cheese and bake until golden brown and the eggs have set, about 25 to 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, set a small skillet over moderate heat with the remaining butter. Once melted and hot, add the bread pieces and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until golden brown and toasted, about 5 minutes. Top the mac and cheese with the toasted bread and garnish with fresh thyme leaves. Enjoy!
