Typical foods of Venezuela (Pan de Jamón).

For those of us who live far away from our native country, a little nostalgia sets in during the holidays. But food always works great to cheer us up. Cooking all those delicious dishes and following the traditions of the season will make us feel a little closer to our homeland. Pan de jamón (ham bread) is a staple at the center of Venezuelan Christmas tables. Every bakery starts selling this bread in early November. As you can imagine, the bread gives off a distinct smell while it’s in the oven. I invite you to try it and surprise your family. Merry Christmas!

14 Ingredients
3 tablespoons dry yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water
1 teaspoon sugar
4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter
1 egg
6 tablespoons tepid milk
1 lb sliced ham
2 cups sliced green olives
1 cup raisins
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon sugar

Tips

.- If you want to save some time, you can use the frozen bread dough sold in supermarkets.

.- In addition to ham, you may also stuff it with bacon strips.

Steps

Step 1
In small bowl, place yeast, the lukewarm water and a teaspoon of sugar. Stir and leave it covered for 30 minutes.

Step 2
Place all-purpose flour on table and leave an empty space in the center. Stir in yeast with the water, the sugar, the salt, the butter and the egg, and start kneading. As you knead, stir in the milk slowly until dough is smooth; dough should easily comes off the surface. Make a ball and cover with a dishcloth. Let dough rest for 1 1/2 hours.

Step 3
Place dough on a floured surface and, using a rolling pin, start extending it until it is an approximately 10 X 18-inch, 1/2-inch thick rectangle.

Step 4
Evenly distribute the ham, the olives and the raisins over the dough. Then firmly roll it up like a Swiss roll. Fold in the edges with your hands.

Step 5
Let the breads rest on a baking sheet for an hour, covered by a dishcloth and greased with a tablespoon of butter.

Step 6
Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Step 7
Place the breads in the oven until golden brown, about 20 a 25 minutes.

Step 8
Beat the egg yolk and a teaspoon of sugar.

Step 9
When breads are golden brown, remove from oven and brush with egg and sugar mixture. Bake for another 5 minutes.

Step 10
Remove from oven and let cool before eating.