Croquetas with spinach & goat cheese

The book Basque by José Pizarro contains all the classics from the Spanish Basque Country, where they are known for bars filled with pintxos. These croquetas with spinach and goat cheese are the perfect addition to any drinks gathering.

In the book, they say about this recipe: “Croquetas, croquetas, croquetas. I often hear that people go to a Spanish restaurant for the croquetas and the tortilla. We are very proud of ours; they are some of the most popular flavor makers in the restaurant, and they are so creamy and delicious. You can freeze them in advance and simply let them thaw before frying.”

Method

Heat a large frying pan over medium heat and add the spinach with a small splash of water. Cook the spinach for 3 to 4 minutes or until completely wilted, then rinse under the cold tap. Once the spinach has cooled, squeeze out all the moisture. Finely chop the spinach and set aside.

Heat the milk with the stock in a saucepan. Melt the butter over medium heat in a small saucepan, add the flour and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. When the flour mixture starts to turn brown, very slowly pour in the milk and stock until you have a silky-smooth sauce. This takes about 10 minutes. Keep stirring well the entire time so that the bottom does not stick.

Carefully stir in the cheese, then add the spinach and keep stirring until everything is well combined. Season with pepper, salt and a little grated nutmeg.
Spread the filling over a shallow dish and press a sheet of plastic wrap onto the surface. Place the dish in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Put a little oil in the palm of your hand and roll small balls (30 grams each) from the filling. If they are a little soft, let them firm up in the freezer for another 30 minutes.
Place the beaten eggs and breadcrumbs in two separate bowls. Dip the croquetas in the egg first and then in the breadcrumbs.

Heat the oil to 180 degrees and deep-fry the croquetas for about 2 minutes until golden brown. Drain them on kitchen paper and serve immediately.

This recipe makes approximately 32-24 croquetas.

Basque
José Pizarro
€ 24,95
Good Cook