Kentucky Hot Brown

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 4 tbsp plain flour
• 2 1/2 cups whole milk
• 3/4 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 8 thick slices white bread
• 1 lb roast turkey breast, thickly sliced
• 8 rashers streaky bacon
• 2 large ripe tomatoes
• 2 tbsp grated Pecorino Romano, for the top
• 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley

Before you cook

• Grate the Pecorino Romano finely.
• Slice the tomatoes into half-inch rounds.
• Slice the turkey breast into thick slices, about a quarter inch each.
• Chop the parsley.
• Butter four shallow flameproof gratin dishes.
• Position an oven shelf about six inches below the broiler element.

Steps

1. Lay the bacon in a cold frying pan and set it over medium heat.
2. Cook the bacon for 8 to 10 minutes, turning once, until it is crisp, then drain it on kitchen paper.
3. Toast the bread until it is golden and firm enough to hold a heavy sauce.
4. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
5. Whisk in the flour and cook it for 2 minutes, stirring, without letting it colour.
6. Pour in the milk in a thin stream, whisking constantly, until the sauce is completely smooth.
7. Cook the sauce for 6 minutes, stirring, until it is thick enough to coat a spoon heavily.
8. Take the pan off the heat and whisk in the grated Pecorino, the cream, the nutmeg, the salt and the white pepper.
9. Turn on the broiler to its highest setting.
10. Lay two slices of toast in each gratin dish, trimming them to fit.
11. Pile a quarter of the turkey over the toast in each dish, mounding it in the centre.
12. Ladle the Mornay sauce over the turkey so it covers the meat and pools around the toast.
13. Scatter the extra Pecorino and the paprika over the sauce.
14. Slide the dishes under the broiler for 4 to 6 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and spotted brown.
15. Cross two rashers of bacon over each dish and tuck the tomato slices alongside.
16. Return the dishes to the broiler for 1 minute to warm the tomato.
17. Scatter the parsley over the top and serve straight from the dish while it is still bubbling.