Croquettes with bechamel and chard (without rice and potatoes)

Can croquettes be soft even if we don’t add rice or potatoes in it?

The answer is a loud yessss! You absolutely have to try them: very soft and perfectly round (I can’t explain why but during cooking they become beautiful spheres!)

Trust me dear friends, during cooking they don’t flake and aren’t sadly wet!

A real discovery!

Listen, I’m giving you a piece of advice right away: prepare the dough for the croquettes the day before and store it in the refrigerator, so the next day it will be firmer and easier to handle.

MAKES AB. 15 BITES

READY IN 30’

INGREDIENTS:

1 bunch of chard

Water and coarse salt to taste

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon chopped onion

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour 00

14 oz cold milk

salt and nutmeg to taste

1 egg

2 tablespoons Parmigiano cheese

Marjoram to taste

Salt and Pepper to taste

2-3 tablespoons breadcrumbs

1 cup flour 00

2 eggs

1 cup breadcrumbs

frying oil

STEP 1: COOK THE CHARD

Wash chards, cut off 3-4 cm of the stem (don’t throw it away but use it to prepare vegetable cube or for soups) and boil them in hot water for about 20 minutes.

Drain them (squeeze if necessary) and chop (I especially recommend the white part which remains a bit fibrous).

Now brown onion for 1 minute in a non-stick pan, then add chopped chards and cook for 3-4 minutes.

STEP 2: MAKE THE BECAHMEL SAUCE

In the meantime, make the béchamel.

In a non-stick saucepan, melt the butter. Remove from the heat and add the flour, stirring with a whiskto get a golden cream. Put now the saucepan to the heat and add milk, continuing beating with the whisk to avoid the formation of lumps. Season with salt and add a bit of nutmeg.

Continue cooking over medium heat for 10 minutes (for this recipe it’s important t to get a firm béchamel sauce.

STEP 3: COMBINE THE INGREDIENTS

Once the béchamel has cooled, add chards, egg, Parmesan, marjoram, salt and pepper. Mix well.

Add breadcrumbs, then put the mixture in the refrigerator to harden.

STEP 4: BREAD THE CROQUETTES

Place in 3 different dishes: 1 cup flour, 2 beaten eggs and 1 cup breadcrumbs. Take a little of mixture and shape it, then get it bready by passing it first into the flour, then into the eggs, and last into breadcrumbs.