Croque Madame

Directions

• To make the béchamel, melt 2 Tbsp of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, whisk in 2 Tbsp of flour and cook for 1–2 minutes, whisking constantly. Gradually add the milk, whisking well to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook for 1–3 minutes, whisking constantly, until thickened. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Toast the sandwich bread slices until golden. For each sandwich, spread a total of about 1 Tbsp of Dijon mustard evenly between both slices of bread
• On one slice of toasted bread, layer some grated cheese, followed by 2 slices of ham. Spoon a bit of béchamel sauce over the ham, then add more cheese. Top with the second slice of bread. Spoon additional béchamel over the top of the sandwich and sprinkle with more cheese. Repeat for the remaining sandwiches.
• Place the assembled sandwiches on a baking sheet and broil on high for 1–2 minutes, or until the cheese on top is melted and bubbly. Watch closely to prevent burning.
• Fry eggs sunny-side up. Once done, carefully place one egg on top of each sandwich.
• Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and freshly ground pepper, then serve immediately.