Jamon Serrano Calzone

A reader sent me a comment that Price Smart in David, Panama sold the Jamon Serrano and that he thought it was very expensive. The price was $125 for a whole ham, probably including the stand.

At the “Museum of Ham” in Madrid, Spain, the cost was about $110, converted from Euros, which we thought was expensive at the time. But since then, I have a completely different view.

Felipe Motta’s price was $170, including the stand and I gladly paid it, knowing how much fun it would be to have such a ham for the holidays, and best of all, I knew how I could use this delectable meat throughout the first few months of the new year.

I served my Jamon Serrano thinly sliced as an hors d’oeurve on Triskets, topped with a dab of sour cream and capers.  Jamon Serrano went perfectly when chopped and sauteed with onions to fill a Spanish Omelet Supreme. Probably my favorite dish was a Spanish Grilled Cheese Sandwich using Monchego cheese, thinly sliced Serrano and sprinkles of chopped dates, yum.

But now, let’s get serious about using the last slices of your holiday Jamon Serrano by being a bit more creative.

Jamon Serrano Calzone

Pizza dough for two calzones -

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1 cup warm water

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cups all-purpose flour

Measure the first 5 ingredients into the bowl of your electric mixer, along with 1 cup of the flour and mix thoroughly. Cover and leave in a warm place 20 minutes. Then, add the remaining flour and knead with dough hook on your mixer, or by hand for 10 minutes. You may need to add more flour to make a soft ball that springs back when pressed lightly. Lightly oil the sides of your mixing bowl and turn the ball over to coat the surface with oil. Cover and rise in a warm place for at least 1 hour, 2 hours is better.

Filling for two calzones -

2 cups thinly sliced Jamon Serrano, julienned

2 cups white cheddar cheese, grated

1 medium tomato, diced

4 teaspoons Italian herb blend, your own special blend

Lightly toss the filling mixture in a medium-sized bowl.

When ready to assemble, sprinkle your pastry board with flour, roll half the dough into a rough circle and lay on a calzone press. Place filling in the middle and fold the press to make a perfect calzone. Trim dough and place the finished calzones on a cookie sheet sprayed with Pam. Cut 3 air vents in the tops of each calzone, let rise 10 minutes and bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Serve with a green salad, if you like.

Keep watching for more ways to use your Jamon Serrano, I’ll go on and on as it’s a wonderfully versatile ingredient, one that always reminds me of my visit to the Museum of Ham in Madrid. Maybe I’ll return to Spain some day soon! 

Como no?

Cora