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Serrano Ham and Manchego Croquetas with Smoked Pimentón Aioli

Your Best One-Bite Party Snack Contest Winner!

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Serrano Ham and Manchego Croquetas with Smoked Pimentón Aioli

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by James Ransom

Photo 2 of 2
by Peter Fontana

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This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best One-Bite Party Snack
A&M's Testing Notes: We always love hors d'oeuvres that can be made ahead and fried up quickly for a party, and these addictive Spanish croquetas fit the bill. The cheesy, ham-flecked dough is a cross between...
We always love hors d'oeuvres that can be made ahead and fried up quickly for a party, and these addictive Spanish croquetas fit the bill. The cheesy, ham-flecked dough is a cross between a choux (without the egg) and a floury bechamel. Once it cools and thickens up, you can put little (or big) helpers on ball-rolling duty. The crust fries up shaggy and golden from the panko, and the paprika aioli is pretty in pink, with an assertive garlic punch. - A&M

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Chef
Sonali aka the Foodie Physician's Notes: My husband and I celebrated our anniversary last year by taking a wonderful trip to Spain. Although we tried a countless number of tapas, our favorite was the croquetas- Spanish croquettes...
My husband and I celebrated our anniversary last year by taking a wonderful trip to Spain. Although we tried a countless number of tapas, our favorite was the croquetas- Spanish croquettes filled with different ingredients. My croquetas use classic Spanish ingredients like salty Serrano ham and nutty Manchego cheese. And to serve with them, I make an aioli using Pimenton de La Vera, a delicious sweet smoked paprika. You may want to make extra croquetas because your guests will gobble them up!

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Makes 20-22

Serrano Ham and Manchego Croquetas:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Ask the
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3 tablespoons unsalted butter Ask the
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1/2 cup all purpose flour Ask the
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1 1/4 cup whole milk Ask the
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1/3 cup finely chopped Serrano ham (can substitute prosciutto), about 1.8 oz Ask the
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1/3 cup grated Manchego cheese, about 1.8 oz Ask the
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1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg Ask the
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Kosher salt Ask the
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2 eggs Ask the
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1 cup panko breadcrumbs Ask the
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Vegetable oil for frying Ask the
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Smoked Pimenton Aioli:

1 cup mayonnaise Ask the
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2 cloves garlic Ask the
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2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice Ask the
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1 teaspoon Spanish sweet smoked paprika such as Pimentón de La Vera Ask the
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Heat the oil and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until butter is melted. Add the flour and cook 1-2 minutes while whisking frequently. Gradually add the milk while whisking and continue to cook another 2-3 minutes. The mixture should be smooth. Switch to a wooden spoon and stir in the ham, cheese and nutmeg. Cook another 1-2 minutes while stirring- the mixture will pull away from the sides of the pan. Taste the mixture and add salt if desired- the ham and cheese are salty so you probably won’t need to add any additional salt.
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Transfer the mixture to an 8x8-inch baking tray and spread it out so that it is even. Let the mixture cool, then cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
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When ready to cook the croquetas, lightly beat the eggs in a shallow dish. Mix the breadcrumbs and ½ teaspoon salt in another dish. Scoop up tablespoons of the cooled filling and form them into balls. Dip each ball into the egg and then the breadcrumbs. Place the completed croquetas on a wire rack or baking sheet and refrigerate for 20 minutes. The croquetas must be chilled before frying otherwise they may fall apart in the oil.
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Meanwhile, make the aioli by pureeing the mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice, and smoked pimentón in a blender or mini food processor. Transfer to a small bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.
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Pour enough vegetable oil into a large stockpot to reach a depth of 1 inch and heat over medium high heat. Working in batches, fry the croquetas in the oil, turning them on all sides, until golden brown and crispy, about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Serve immediately with the smoked pimentón aioli.
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LE BEC FIN added 15 days ago

hi sonali,want to thank you for this terrific recipe.You would have had me at Crunchy, but Gooey Cheesy and I was all yours! I made them last night for dinner for the 2 of us, to accompany chowbella's terrific recipe for Citrus Chimmichuri Pork Roast , whch i adapted for turkey .I had to MAKE myself eat my salad!

I did make a few changes. I added 1/8 cup grated/ground Parm , used 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (double yours) and , because i don't care for serrano, used Jone's Canadian bacon, my fav ham component.The parm made a huge difference and really brought together all the flavors.

I learned to pull them from the oil a little bit before I would have (because otherwise, they explode and lose their filling!)
I am new to 52 and was thrilled to have one of my citrus recipes chosen as a CP. thanks so much again and congrats on your well deserved win.

rheg18 added 23 days ago

I made these for new years eve. I used prosciutto since I couldn't find serrano ham.People keep asking me for the recipe because they enjoyed it so much. Thank you for sharing! This recipe is a keeper!

Laurie in Petaluma added about 1 month ago

I made these yesterday for a party and they are crunchy on the outside and full of creamy goodness on the inside. I liked that I could have them all ready to fry before my guests arrived. These will definitely be made again. Thanks so much for the fabulous recipe!

Sonali aka the Foodie Physician added about 1 month ago

Thanks so much for trying the recipe- I'm so happy you liked them!

Jenifer Mangione Vogt added about 1 month ago

These look amazing. I'm a big fan of finger food/appetizers. I'd rather eat a few different ones, than a dinner entree at times. So I'm always on the lookout for something tasty and original. I'll probably replace the Serrano with Prosciutto, but I can't wait to try this. Thanks!

Sonali aka the Foodie Physician added about 1 month ago

Thank you- I love finger foods too! Yes, Prosciutto would be a good substitute for the Serrano ham. Let me know how it goes if you try the recipe!

Cecilia Cuban espresso added about 1 month ago

I made these for a new years eve party and what a huge success! I fried them up and when we arrived a the party warmed them up on a 350 oven for 15 minutes. I made them with prosciuto and can only imagine how uh better they would be with Serrano ham.

Sonali aka the Foodie Physician added about 1 month ago

Thanks for your comment- I'm happy that they were still tasty after reheating in the oven!

niki5959 added about 1 month ago

I have a question, did you use aged Manchego cheese or soft Manchego cheese? Thanks! Looking forward to making these for New Year's Eve!

Sonali aka the Foodie Physician added about 1 month ago

I used aged Manchego because that's what we had in Spain. Let me know how it goes if you make it and Happy New Year!

arahsay added about 1 month ago

This looks fantastic! I do have a question though. I'm going to a friends for New Years and wanted to take this. Could I cook them before I leave for her house? I tend to make a mess, and don't want to walk in and start making a mess, but we're good friends so I'm sure she would forgive me! :)

arahsay added about 1 month ago

Sonali aka the Foodie Physician added about 1 month ago

You could probably do that but they wouldn't be as crispy. Maybe if you reheat them at a high temperature in the oven, they would crisp up. When I tested them, I reheated a few in the microwave later- they were still tasty but lacked the crunch of the original batch straight out of the oil. Have a happy new year!

OlgaMarie added about 1 month ago

These are VERY VERY good, they freeze perfectly!!!!

Sonali aka the Foodie Physician added about 1 month ago

I've never tried to freeze these before- thanks for giving me the idea! It would be great to freeze a large batch and then fry them up at the last minute.

stitchhappy added about 1 month ago

It seems you have created a hit here. I'm very excited to try these in my own kitchen... New Years eve being right around the corner we like to celebrate early and in bed early... LOL.. This recipe makes my mouth water just reading it. Thanks for keeping it simple enough so even I can make it. This is my first visit here but it won't be my last...

stitchhappy added about 1 month ago

Sonali aka the Foodie Physician added about 1 month ago

Thank you- so glad that I was a part of your first visit to food52! Celebrating New Year's Eve at home sounds great to me- let me know how it goes if you try the recipe!

Deanne added about 1 month ago

I made these for Christmas Eve tapas. They were incredible. They looked exactly like the picture and tasted fantastic. I used prosciutto, and I might use a tiny bit more next time. My husband said he was willing to divorce me and marry one of these "wonderful ham balls." Thank you for this delicious recipe.

Sonali aka the Foodie Physician added about 1 month ago

I'm so excited that you made these for your party and that they were a success- thanks so much! Yes, I think that these are definitely a crowd pleaser- after all, who doesn't love fried ham balls?! When I tested this recipe, my husband and I polished off the whole batch! :)

loubaby added about 1 month ago

These sound wonderful; definitely going to try. I have made Tyler Florence's Serrano and Manchego Croquettes and they are good--he uses mashed potato instead of the sauce for binding and serves with a Romesco Sauce. So will definitely try these and compare...Thanks! and congratulations.

Sonali aka the Foodie Physician added about 1 month ago

Thanks! I've seen croquettes made with mashed potatoes but never tried that method before. I do love Romesco sauce- yum! Let me know how it goes if you try the recipe!