Spanish Croquetas

Although this recipe uses ham, you can vary the ingredients according to personal preference ie make the croquetas with fish, chicken, cheese, tuna, spinach etc.

Ingredients (for 4 people):

1dessert spoon of olive oil

2 dessert spoons of flour

1/4 litre of milk

1 Egg

100 grams of bread crumbs

Nutmeg

150 grams of ham, cut into small pieces

Salt

Steps:

1: Put the oil in a frying pan and warm it. Once the oil is warm (but before it is so hot that smoke rises from it) remove the pan from the heat and add the flour to the oil. Stir with a wooden spoon until it becomes a paste.

2: Put the pan on the heat again and add the milk, little by little, stirring the mixture all the time until it is cooked and even. Add the nutmeg, a pinch of salt and the ham cut into small pieces. Cook in the pan until the mixture is stiff,  stirring continuously.

3: As soon as the mixture is stiff enough, spoon it into a bowl and let it cool. Beat the egg. Once the mixture is cool, make small portions and mould them with your hands into the shape of a croqueta (oval). Dip each croqueta into the beaten egg and then dip it into the breadcrumbs. Place each croqueta separately on a plate. You can fry them straight away, or put them into the fridge and leave them until you are ready to cook and eat them.

4: Fry the croquetas in a pan with enough oil to cover them. When they are golden and crispy, take them out and lay them on kitchen roll to absorb the excess oil. Serve straight away.