Croque Madame (Ham and Gruyère Toastie with Béchamel and Fried Egg)

• 40 g Unsalted butter
• 20 g Plain flour
• 250 ml Whole milk
• 1 pinch Ground nutmeg
• ½ tsp Black pepper
• 4 slices White bread
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 120 g Cured ham
• 120 g Gruyère cheese
• 2 Egg

1. Heat the oven to 220°C (430°F) and put a baking tray inside to warm. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt 25 g of the unsalted butter, then whisk in the plain flour and cook for 1 minute until it smells biscuity. Gradually whisk in the whole milk until smooth, then cook for 3 to 5 minutes, whisking, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon; season with the ground nutmeg and a little of the black pepper.
2. Lay out the white bread and spread the dijon mustard over two slices. Divide the cured ham between them, then sprinkle over half of the gruyère cheese and close with the remaining bread. Lightly butter the outside of each sandwich with 10 g of the remaining unsalted butter.
3. Carefully place the sandwiches on the hot tray. Spoon the béchamel over the tops, then scatter over the remaining gruyère cheese. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until bubbling and deeply golden on top.
4. While the sandwiches bake, melt the remaining 5 g unsalted butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry the eggs for 2 to 3 minutes until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny, seasoning with the remaining black pepper. Top each baked sandwich with a fried egg and serve straight away.

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