Croque Madame sandwich

Ingredients:

• 170 g butter, divided into portions
• 2 tbsp. flour
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 tbsp. finely grated parmesan
• 8 thick slices sourdough bread
• 8 – 12 slices of ham (about 350 g)
• 350 g Gruyere cheese, finely grated, divided into 4 portions
• 4 eggs

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to top grill.
2. Make béchamel sauceMelt 30g of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour quickly and cook, stirring constantly, until you can smell the flour and butter cooking, 2–3 minutes. Be careful not to let the sauce burn.
   
   Add the milk and bay leaf and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens like a soup, about 10–12 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and stir in the Parmesan. Transfer the sauce to a bowl to cool.
3. Lay out 4 slices of bread on a flat surface. Place 2-3 slices of ham on each. Mix half the Gruyère cheese with the béchamel sauce. Taste to see if you need to adjust the seasoning. Spread a little béchamel sauce over the ham and top each sandwich with another slice of bread.
4. Heat a large cast-iron skillet and add half the remaining butter to the hot surface. Place 2 sandwiches in the skillet and cook for 2 minutes on each side. Flip and cook for another 2 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining butter and sandwiches. Spread the béchamel sauce over the sandwiches and sprinkle with the reserved half of the Gruyère cheese.
5. Wipe off any crumbs from the cast iron skillet. Spray the surface with nonstick cooking spray. Crack 4 eggs into the skillet, leaving a little space between them. While they're frying, place the sandwiches in the oven and bake until golden brown on top, 1–2 minutes. Season the eggs with salt and place one on each sandwich. Serve immediately.
   
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