Recipe: Open-Faced Croque-Monsieur

Open-Faced Croque-Monsieur

"At Pastis in New York City, the chefs prepare a rich, open-faced croque-monsieur. Generously sauced with b chamel, it must be eaten with a fork and knife. For a Pastis-style sandwich that requires utensils to eat, use about 1/4 cup b chamel. If you prefer a sandwich that you can eat with your hands, brush on a thin layer of b chamel, slightly less than 1 Tbs. per sandwich.

The perfect complement to this croque-monsieur is a simple salad of mixed baby greens dressed with a vinaigrette of extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, salt and freshly ground pepper."

For the b chamel:
3 Tbs. unsalted butter
6 Tbs. all-purpose flour
2 cups hot milk
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste

For the sandwiches:
1-lb. loaf country-style bread, sliced
1/2 lb. sliced ham
1/2 lb. grated Gruy re cheese

Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 450 F.

To make the b chamel, in a 2-quart saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour until smooth and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture smells nutty and fragrant, about 1 minute. Slowly add the hot milk, whisking constantly until the mixture is smooth and lump-free. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Increase the heat to medium, bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and keep warm.

To assemble the sandwiches, lightly butter a baking sheet. Place the bread slices on the sheet and layer the ham evenly on the bread. For each sandwich, spread 1 to 2 Tbs. of the b chamel over the ham, or as desired. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the b chamel. Bake until the cheese melts and evenly browns, and the bread is golden and crisp on the bottom, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately. Serves 4 to 6.

Pastis, New York City.