Fazzoletto - A French Undertaker Wearing a Headscarf

My fourth entry into the College Inn Ultimate Recipe Contest is my take on a Croque Monsieur.

This will be my last post about the contest, but you can still submit your recipes to their Facebook page or enter my giveaway by clicking on the picture to the right. Giveaway sponsored by College Inn along with a generous complimentary giveaway package to get me started. Thank you, College Inn.
Contest ends on October 28th and good luck to those that enter. My giveaway will run till November 1st and good luck to all that enter.

Did you know that the literal translation of Croque Monsieur is gentleman undertaker and that an egg on top was not a ladies breast, as I have heard it said over and over, but it actually represented a woman's hat.
Living through food from my favorite place, Italy, I decided to make the Italian version of the Undertaker called Nonne Fazzoletto (grandma's handkerchief or headscarf).

It's sounds so confusing but as far as I am concerned, they both take the American grilled ham & cheese to a whole 'nother level.

OK, let's break it down.
Ham - check
Cheese - check
Sauce - check
Egg - check

Now the Italians use a French food, crepes, to make their version and depending where you shop, you can buy premade crepes. Yes, I'm serious. I have seen them where the egg roll and won ton wrappers are usually stocked.
I like to make my own because I can make them savory and healthier but using egg substitute, quinoa flakes, mustard, chicken broth and evaporated fat-free milk. A small amount to flour is used to give them structure.

One cup will make 4 (6") crepes. I was making crepes for three separate recipes so I made four times the amount listed here and froze them till I am ready. Place a piece of wax paper between each crepe, roll them into a cylinder (like the pie crusts are rolled), wrap them in foil and into a storage bag. To defrost, let them sit on the counter for 1 hour or leave them in the fridge overnight.
 

I assembled these early in the day, wrapped the dishes in Saran Wrap and set them in the fridge. While my oven was preheating I let them come to room temperature.

I fried two eggs for The Nudge and one for mine and placed them on top after the gratin was removed from the broiler. You could poach your eggs but I thought over easy's would be better.

The beauty of this dish is you could fill them with whatever you had on hand. I have done them with sliced sauteed zucchini, leftover turkey and cranberry sauce, the last of a brisket and BBQ sauce. Just use cheese appropriate to the stuffing.

They are impressive, tasty and very filling.
The Nudge just raved about them.
Great inexpensive way to use up leftovers and the kids will love their personalized portion, my kid did!

Crepes
makes 4 servings (1 each)

• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons quinoa flakes
• 1 tablespoon fat-free evaporated milk
• 1/4 cup College Inn Low Sodium Chicken Broth
• 1/2 cup egg substitute or 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon brown mustard
• salt & pepper 
• 8 slices of thin sliced ham
• 1/2 cup Cabot Lite Pepper Jack cheese, grated 

1. Mix first seven ingredients (up to ham) in a pourable container.
2. Let rest for 30 minutes.
3. Fry the crepes in a medium-hot 9" non-stick pan sprayed with a release agent.
4. Pour in 2 ounces of batter for each crepe. Tip and turn the pan until the batter covers the bottom. Cook until the top appears dry and the bottom has just begun to brown. Turn with a spatula and brown the other side very lightly. You should have only little specks of brown..
5. Repeat until all the batter is used. Stack a piece of wax paper between each.
6. Place two pieces of ham on a crepe and two tablespoons grated cheese. Fold in half and place one (child's portion) or two crepes into one gratin dish.

Cheese Sauce
makes about 3/4 cup

• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1/4 teaspoon Coleman's mustard
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup Cabot Lite Pepper Jack cheese, cubed
• 1/4 cup Cabot Sharp Light Cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup College Inn Low Sodium Chicken Broth
• 1 tablespoon fat-free evaporated milk
• Smoked paprika for garnish (optional)

1. Melt butter in a small saucepan. Add flour and whisk. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
2. Add mustard, chicken broth and milk, whisking to mix thoroughly.
3. When sauce comes to a boil, remove from the heat and stir in cheese. Reserve.
4. Spoon sauce over crepes, sprinkle with some smoked paprika (optional).
5. Place under the broiler until the cheese bubbles and browns.
6. Remove and add eggs.