cheese and ham balls
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There’s nothing like a cheese and ham panini when you’re on holiday is there? I don’t know why but that combo is so good, but it just is.
So instead of a panini, on this occasion I’ve encased my cheese and ham within a crispy, golden ball – just to mix it up a little yano. I’ve creatively named this recipe….my cheese and ham balls. Original I know. Simple flavours but with a big impact. Give it a go and let me know if these bitesize balls can compete with the mighty panini.
I used a combination of Red Leicester and extra mature cheddar but you can mix it up and use whatever cheeses you fancy.
Serve your balls up on a bed of salad to give the illusion of health. This then technically counts as a salad.
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Ingredients
metric imperial
- 40g Red Leicester, grated
- 40g extra mature cheddar, grated
- 90g smoked wafer ham, chopped
- 80g butter, pulse extra for dusting
- 90g plain flour
- 150ml milk
- 50g breadcrumbs
- 1 egg, beaten
- 100ml vegetable oil
- 2 salad tomatoes, chopped
- 1 little gem lettuce, chopped
- 1/4 of a cucumber, chopped
Method
- First, in a saucepan add the butter to melt.
- Mix in the flour until it forms a dough.
- Gradually pour in the milk, continue to mix the whole time.
- Stir through the grated cheese and ham and pour into a container and leave to set in the fridge until cool.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Once cool, roll the mixture into any shape you fancy. I’ve done balls but you could do logs too (Make enough for 3 per person).
- In three separate bowls have one with the extra flour, one with the beaten egg and one with the breadcrumbs.
- Roll the cheesy mixture in flour. Then egg. Then breadcrumbs. Then egg again. Lastly back into breadcrumbs, this is called a ‘double panne’.
- In a frying pan add the oil a heat on medium to high heat.
- Add the breadcrumbed balls to the pan and cook until golden all over. You might have to do this in batches as you don't want to overcrowd the pan.
- Once they are all done, place them on a baking tray and place in the oven for 10 minutes to warm all the way through.
- Make your salad and serve up your crunchy croquettes. Enjoy!