Croquetas

Ingredients

Béchamel

• 100 gbutter
• 120 gplain flour
• 1 litrewhole milk, warm
• 1onion, very finely chopped
• grated nutmeg
• salt and white pepper

Filling

• 200 gjamón serrano, finely chopped, or 250 g cooked salt cod, flaked

To coat

• 100 gplain flour
• 3eggs, beaten
• 200 gfine breadcrumbs

To fry

• 1 litreolive or sunflower oil

Directions

1. Soften the very finely chopped onion in the butter for 10 minutes without letting it colour.
2. Add the flour and cook it, stirring, for a full 5 minutes. Undercooked flour is the commonest fault in croquetas and it tastes raw and pasty however good the filling is.
3. Add the warm milk very gradually, beating hard after each addition, until you have a completely smooth béchamel.
4. Cook it for a further 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until it is thick enough to hold a spoon upright and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
5. Stir in the ham or cod and season with nutmeg, salt and white pepper.
6. Spread it into a shallow tray, press cling film directly onto the surface, and chill for at least 4 hours and preferably overnight.
7. The chilling is not optional. Warm béchamel cannot be shaped and bursts in the oil, which is why croquetas are always a two-day job in Spanish kitchens.
8. Shape into small cylinders or balls with wet hands or two spoons.
9. Roll each in flour, then beaten egg, then breadcrumbs, pressing the crumbs on firmly. Do the egg and crumb twice for a sturdier crust.
10. Chill the coated croquetas for another 30 minutes before frying.
11. Heat the oil to 180°C (355°F) and fry a few at a time for about 2 minutes, until deep golden.
12. Do not crowd the pan. A sudden drop in oil temperature is exactly the moment they split and empty themselves into the fryer.
13. Drain on a rack and eat hot, when the inside should be almost molten.

Technique

• The inside is supposed to be loose and flowing. A croqueta you can slice neatly has been made too stiff.
• They were adapted from the French croquette in the nineteenth century, and Spanish cooks turned them into a way of using leftover jamón or stew.
• They freeze beautifully once crumbed, and fry from frozen with an extra minute.

Substitutions

• Leftover roast chicken, stewed beef or mushrooms in place of ham.
• Panko for a coarser and crunchier crust, though it is not traditional.

Variations

• De bacalao, with salt cod.
• De cocido, made with the leftover meats from a boiled dinner.
• With boletus mushrooms, which is a common modern tapas version.

History

Adapted from the French croquette in the nineteenth century; Spanish cooks turned it into a way of using leftover jamón or stew.

Frequently asked questions

What is Croquetas?

Croquetas is a snack from Spain: creamy béchamel croquettes with ham or salt cod. Adapted from the French croquette in the nineteenth century; Spanish cooks turned it into a way of using leftover jamón or stew.

How long does Croquetas take to make?

Croquetas takes 40 min plus 4 hr chilling of preparation and 40 min of cooking. The recipe makes 30 croquetas. It is rated medium to make.

What can I substitute in Croquetas?

Yes, within limits. Leftover roast chicken, stewed beef or mushrooms in place of ham. Panko for a coarser and crunchier crust, though it is not traditional.

What is the most important thing to get right in Croquetas?

The chilling is not optional. Warm béchamel cannot be shaped and bursts in the oil, which is why croquetas are always a two-day job in Spanish kitchens.