Croque Madame

8min prep, 5min cook

Serves 1

Ingredients

2 slices soft white sourdough bread

1 tsp butter

½ tsp Dijon mustard

2 tbsps crème fraiche (or ready-made béchamel or cheese sauce)

50g grated Gruyère cheese

1 slice good quality carved ham

2 tbsps vegetable oil

1 large British Lion egg

Method

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas Mark 4. Spread the butter on both sides of the bread then spread one side with Dijon mustard. Spoon on 1 tablespoon of crème fraiche.

Sprinkle over half of the grated cheese and lay on the slice of ham, then sandwich together. Spread the top layer of the sandwich with the rest of the crème fraiche, then sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

Place the sandwich on a baking sheet and cook in the oven for 6-7 minutes until the cheese has melted and gone gooey on top.

While the sandwich is cooking, heat the oil in a pan and fry the egg for 1-2 minutes, basting the yolk with the hot oil as it cooks. Drain on kitchen paper and serve immediately on top of the sandwich.