Roasted Preserved Ham with Puff Pastry (Ham "en croûte")

Soak the ham in water for 24 hours

Drain and massage well with cold water

Place the ham, skin side down, in a large pot with enough water to cover it

Let the water simmer slowly

This takes about 1 hour, or so

Then cook slowly, calculating 40 minutes per kilogram

Do not pierce with a fork

Gently lift the bone, to see if it's done

The bone should be loose

Remove the ham from the pot and remove the skin and excess fat, leaving a layer of about 1 cm thick

Place the ham in an oven-safe dish and brush with 1/4 cup red wine and 1 1/2 cups of ham glaze made as follows: caramelize the onion in the fat

Add the flour and cook, stirring until it browns

Add 2 cups of broth and tomato paste, cook, stirring until it thickens and reduces slightly

Add the red wine and let it simmer to a point just below boiling, without boiling

Roast in a hot oven until golden brown, basting frequently

Prepare the puff pastry dough: dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water

Scald milk with water and add sugar and butter or margarine and 2 tablespoons of salt

Let it cool slightly and mix in the yeast mixture

Gradually add flour and mix well

Place the dough on a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, adding more flour if necessary

Place in a greased bowl and coat with butter or oil

Cover and let rise for about 1 hour and 15 minutes

Test the dough by pressing it with your fingers; if it's risen, the finger mark will not disappear and the dough will start to fall

Lower the dough and pull the ends towards the center, making a firm ball

Open the dough (1/3 of the dough) into a square about 1 cm thick: the square should be slightly larger than the ham

Place the ham in the middle of the dough

Open the remaining dough and place it on top of the ham

Press the ends to seal the dough around the ham

Coat the dough with beaten egg mixed with a little milk

Roast the ham wrapped in puff pastry in a large oven-safe dish, in a hot oven, until the dough is well golden brown

To serve, cut off a lid of the dough, slice the ham into pieces, and serve one piece of dough to each guest, accompanied with ham glaze