Pan de Jamón

There are as many variations of Jam Bread as there are Venezuelans in the world. In 1997, I visited my friend Manuel who runs a Bakery. After catching up, I requested the recipe of his Jam Bread. Manuel smile from ear to ear and asked me to come back the next day. I could not sleep with excitement just thinking about how many years I have been practicing with American ingredients!! Now, I would finally have the recipe that started my bread making fever. As usual the bakery was filled with people wanting to buy the freshly made bread at 6 PM. I bought some too to transport me to my teen years. All of the sudden, I heard my name being called from the other side of the bakery and there was Manuel. My heart sounded like the drums play by the drummers from Barlovento until I realized that what Manuel was handing me was two loaves of Pan Jamón made specially for me in the month of June. At first, I thought that he wanted to wait to hand me the recipe and make me promise that I would not tell anyone. Soon, I realized that there were no papers with the explanation on how to make the bread I was about to eat. In spite of my sadness, I was feeling special for having my friend tell everyone in his bakery that I could get anything I wanted on the house because I was his friend!! Manuel sat with me at a table and provided me with a plate filled with all my favorites while I was a student at the local High School. After 20 years, my friend Manuel remembered what I like to eat everyday for at least 6 years.
I enjoyed the Ham Bread he gave me like someone who eats a fine piece of chocolate or drink a wonderful glass of wine or beer. I savor each morsel in an attempt to separate the taste of each ingredient and recollect each flavor and smell. As soon as I arrived home, I began my bread making fever to find the closest Ham Bread to Manuel's. At the end, it was my quest since everyone I gave loaves of Ham Bread felt fortunate to receive one from me and remembered it for a long time. I realized then that I had done for them what Manuel had done for me!!!
As 2010 Christmas approaches, my friends remind me that it is time for the wonderful bread I continue to share with them. As for Manuel's Ham Bread? It will exist in the memory of those who have had the chance to taste it and share it with their friends and families. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!

PAN DE JAMÓN Ham Bread
(3 panes, 24 a 30 porciones en total) (3 loaves, 24 to 30 portions)

INGREDIENTES (INGREDIENTS)

1 cucharada de levadura (1 Tbsp of yeast)
1/2 taza de agua tibia (1/2 Cup of warm water)
1 cucharadita de azúcar (1tsp of sugar)
11/2 taza de leche a la temperatura ambiente (1 1/2 cup of milk at room temp.)
1 kilo de harina (1 kg of flour)
5 cucharadas, 75 gramos, de manteca vegetal (5 Tbsp of vegetable shortening)
6 cucharadas, 90 gramos, de mantequilla (6 Tbsp of butter)
1 3/4 cucharadita de sal (1 3/4 tsp of salt)
6 cucharadas, 100 gramos, de azúcar (6 Tbsp of sugar)
3 huevos (3 eggs)
1 kilo de jamón cocido, molido grueso o picadito (1 KG of ham shopped or sliced)
3/4 de taza de pasas (3/4 cup of raisins)
la pulpa picadita de 30 aceitunas medíanas (chopped 30 olives into small pieces)
1 cucharada de mantequilla (1 Tbsp of butter)
2 amarillos de huevo (2 egg yolks)
2 cucharadas de agua (2 tsp of water)
1/8 de cucharadita de sal (1/8 tsp of salt)

PREPARATION

1.In a small bowl place the yeast, warm water and the sugar. Mix it and cover with a clean kitchen towel to let it rest around 20 minutes.

2 In a bigger bowl place the milk and the yeast mixture. Sieve 1/2 kg of flour and mix well. Let it rest and cover with a towel for approximately 4 hours.

3. In the same bowl add the rest of the flour, mixing constantly, if dried add 2 Tbsp of cold milk. Cover and let it rest in the fridge for 6 to 8 hours or until the next day.

4. Take the dough out of the fridge and on a table begin to add the shortening, butter, salt, sugar and the eggs one by one. Mix well while lifting and dropping the dough until the dough detaches from the table and the hands. This would take approximately 100 times.

5. Dive the dough into three equal parts.

6. Extend the dough on the surface covered with flour until the rectangle is 1/2 to 1 centimeter thick.

7. Add the ham, raisins and olives until the ingredients cover the dough 2 to 3 centimeter from the edge.

8. Roll the dough and close the ends as if you were making a jelly roll. Remember to grease the cookie sheet with butter. Place each bread on a cookie sheet if you do not have a stone. Cover with a towel and let rest for 2 hours approximately.

9. In the meantime heat the oven to 400 degrees.

10. Place the cookie sheet in the oven for 15 minutes then take it out and with a brush apply the yolk mixture(2 yolks + 2 Tbsp of water+ 1/8 tsp of salt). Continue baking for 5 minutes until it is golden on top.Take it out of the oven and let cool down before cutting and sharing with friends and family.