Cooked Ham in Bread Crust

The pride of the town's gastronomy is the bread-crusted ham, prepared according to the historic recipe that the Julian people have been handing down for more than a century. Fresh pork legs are scented with natural aromas and hot-smoked with fir wood chips. Afterwards, the boneless ham is cooked in cauldrons and then completely wrapped in bread dough and placed in the oven for at least eight hours (the ideal cooking time is one hour per kilo). The aromas are retained by the bread, which makes the meat soft and flavorful. The cooked ham crust should be strictly sliced by hand. The slice results in a beautiful pink color and the flavor is sweet, delicate and slightly smoky. It is excellent as a main course but is at its best for an aperitif or brunch, eaten hot with mustard or a grating of horseradish (horseradish root). The pleasantly full-bodied taste calls for pairing with intense white wines, such as an Isonzo Pinot Bianco or a Friulano. The legacy of Trieste's Hapsburg past is still reflected today in the habitual consumption of prosciutto in the crust.