Spanish Jamón Croquettes

Finely dice the onion and ham into 3-4 mm cubes.

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat, add the onion, and sauté for 8-10 minutes over low heat until translucent and lightly golden, stirring often.

Add the ham and cook for 2-3 minutes until the edges are lightly browned, then add the butter and let it melt.

Stir in 70 g of flour (out of 100 g total; set aside the remaining 30 g for coating) and cook over low heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spatula, until lightly nutty in aroma — don't let it darken.

Pour in the warm milk in small additions, whisking briskly after each one to prevent lumps. Simmer over low heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring constantly, until the béchamel is very thick, paste-like, and pulls away from the sides of the pan.

Season with nutmeg, black pepper, and salt (add salt carefully — the ham is already salty). Transfer the mixture to a shallow bowl, smooth it out, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours, until fully set.

With damp hands, shape the chilled mixture into small cylinders 5-6 cm long, about 25-30 g each.

Roll each croquette in flour, shake off the excess, dip in beaten eggs, then coat on all sides in breadcrumbs, pressing lightly to adhere.

Heat oil for frying to 170-180°C in a deep pot or fryer and fry the croquettes in batches of 5-6 for 1.5-2 minutes, until evenly golden brown. Drain on paper towels to remove excess oil and serve immediately, hot.