What's the difference between Croque Madame and Croque Monsieur?

The main difference here is the Croque Madame sandwich is served with a fried egg on top. And as a lover of all things "egg," I see no reason why you can't add a fried egg to this pasta casserole, making it just a bit richer and more delicious, if that is even possible.

What can I use instead of ricotta cheese?

Cottage cheese is a great replacement for ricotta. Blend it up first to break apart the curds and combine the excess liquid.

Croque Monsieur Pasta Bake

Name: Croque Monsieur Pasta Bake
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h 20 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Cuisine: French-American
Ingredients: 1 lb pasta, cooked according to package directions; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1/2 lb ham, diced; 5 ounces gruyere cheese, shredded; 1/4 cup dijon mustard; 16 ounces ricotta; 1 egg; 1/3 cup unsalted butter; 1/3 cup flour; 3 cups whole milk; 2 teaspoons salt; 1/2 teaspoon white pepper; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; few pinches nutmeg

Description

Indulge in creamy dreamy white sauce coating chunks of ham and pasta spiked with dollops of dijon-laced ricotta and a topping of brown, bubbly gruyere cheese.

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 lb pasta, cooked according to package directions
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 lb ham, diced
5 ounces gruyere cheese, shredded
1/4 cup dijon mustard
16 ounces ricotta
1 egg
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1/3 cup flour
3 cups whole milk
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
few pinches nutmeg

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Instructions

Warm the milk in a small pot over medium-low heat. Do not simmer or boil.
Cook the pasta according to package directions, tossing in 2 tablespoons of oil after draining in a colander.
In a medium-sized bowl, add the ricotta, dijon, and egg and whisk to combine. Also, dice the ham into bite-sized pieces and shred the cheese. Set aside for now.
To make the béchamel sauce, melt the butter in a medium-sized pot over medium heat. When it is fully melted, add the flour and stir to combine. Then stir in the salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
Slowly add the warmed milk whisking to combine. Turn the heat up to medium-high, stirring frequently until the béchamel sauce thickens. Reserve 1 cup of the sauce and set aside
In a large bowl, add the pasta and béchamel sauce and stir to completely coat the pasta. Then, put half the saucy pasta into the casserole dish. Sprinkle half the chunks of ham over the pasta and spoon scoops of half the ricotta mixture throughout the pasta and ham. Top with the rest of the pasta, and add the remaining ham and ricotta onto the pasta.
Top the casserole with the reserved 1 cup of béchamel sauce and then the shredded gruyere cheese. Finish by sprinkling a few pinches of nutmeg over the top of the entire casserole.
Cover the casserole with foil and bake in the 350°F oven for 30 minutes (SEE NOTE). Remove the foil and cook for another 20-30 minutes or until you see bubbles rising up from the edges of the dish. Then broil for 2-3 minutes or until the top is brown and bubbly.

Notes

NOTE: Coat the foil with cooking spray to keep the cheese from sticking.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Category: Main dish
Method: Stove-top, baking
Cuisine: French-American