Croque Monsieur Slice

Makes 8

280g ciabatta bread,

torn into 3cm pieces

1 garlic clove, crushed

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

300g pancetta, rind removed, chopped 1 onion, finely chopped

20g butter

1 cup milk

60g Gruyère cheese, grated

60g cheddar, grated

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

6 eggs

½ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley 2 tbsp finely chopped chives

½ cup self-raising flour

300g ricotta Store-bought tomato relish, to serve Rocket & tomato salad, to serve

Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fan forced). Line a lightly greased 20 x 30cm slice tin with a 3cm overhang. Place ciabatta and garlic in the tray with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and toss to coat. Place in the oven and cook for 15 minutes, or until golden.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a frying pan over high heat. Add the pancetta and cook for 4 minutes. Remove and set aside. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 4 minutes, or until onion is soft. Set aside to cool.

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the milk, cheeses, mustard and nutmeg, and mix until the cheese has melted.

Pour the cheese mixture into a large bowl. Add the onion, half the pancetta, the eggs, parsley, chives and flour and mix to combine. Dollop the ricotta into the pan and pour over the egg mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining pancetta.

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool, then slice into 3cm thick slices to serve. Serve with tomato relish and rocket & tomato salad on the side.

Tip: To make the rocket & tomato salad, toss 100g baby rocket, 100g halved cherry tomatoes, baby basil leaves, 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper to serve.

Tip: This slice will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Tip: To make this a croque madame slice, serve each piece with a fried egg on top.