French charcutiers rolled ham around herbs in the 1800s to preserve juices during slow baking—a technique rustic Parisian bistros still swear by.
Baked Rolled Ham
Indulge in the warm nostalgia of our Baked Rolled Ham, a delightful dish that promises to wrap your taste buds in comfort. Featuring succulent slices of ham, melty cheese, and a hint of savory herbs, this easy-to-make recipe is perfect for family gatherings or cozy weeknight dinners. Get ready to savor every bite and create new memories around the table!
Prep
10
min
Cook
20
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
The Story
This gratin business traces back to 1830s Savoie, where French farmhouse cooks started drowning leftover ham in cream and cheese simply because Alpine winters demanded calories by the bucketload—basil tomato concentrate is a cheeky Provençal addition, meaning somewhere a Savoyard grandmother and a Niçoise one are having a proper argument about whose region actually invented this cream-soaked, cheese-bombed masterpiece.
Regional Twist
Down in Lyon, cooks swap the Gruyère for local Saint-Marcellin cheese and stir a splash of white wine into the fresh cream, giving the baked rolled ham a tangier, funkier finish than the Alpine original ever intended.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(1)
- 140 g of basil tomato concentrate (4.94 oz)
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 8 slices of ham
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- 350 g of fresh cream (12.4 oz)
- Grated Gruyère cheese
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
440
Protein
14g
Carbs
8g
Fat
39g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Roll the slices of ham and place them in an oven-safe dish.
- 2
In a bowl, mix the fresh cream with the basil tomato concentrate until you have a smooth sauce.
- 3
Generously pour the mixture over the rolled ham.
- 4
Sprinkle with grated Gruyère cheese.
- 5
Bake until the cheese is melted and nicely golden.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Warm your cream to 40-45°C before mixing with tomato concentrate to prevent the acidic tomato from causing the cream to break and separate, which occurs when pH drops below 4.5 in cold cream.technique40-45°C (104-113°F)
- ✓Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 12-15 minutes because Gruyère requires this specific temperature range to brown via the Maillard reaction without the cream sauce curdling (which happens above 82°C/180°F for extended periods).timing375°F (190°C), 12-15 minutes
- ✓Use a 3:1 cream-to-tomato concentrate ratio by weight (350g cream to ~115g concentrate) to maintain proper sauce viscosity and prevent it from becoming too acidic, which would break the emulsion and curdle dairy proteins.ingredient3:1 ratio (cream:concentrate)
- ✓Pat ham slices dry with paper towels before rolling because excess surface moisture creates steam that prevents proper browning of the cheese crust (Maillard reaction requires dry surfaces above 140°C).techniqueRemove surface moisture
Share this recipe
Prep
10
min
Cook
20
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
French charcutiers rolled ham around herbs in the 1800s to preserve juices during slow baking—a technique rustic Parisian bistros still swear by.
Baked Rolled Ham
Indulge in the warm nostalgia of our Baked Rolled Ham, a delightful dish that promises to wrap your taste buds in comfort. Featuring succulent slices of ham, melty cheese, and a hint of savory herbs, this easy-to-make recipe is perfect for family gatherings or cozy weeknight dinners. Get ready to savor every bite and create new memories around the table!
The Story
This gratin business traces back to 1830s Savoie, where French farmhouse cooks started drowning leftover ham in cream and cheese simply because Alpine winters demanded calories by the bucketload—basil tomato concentrate is a cheeky Provençal addition, meaning somewhere a Savoyard grandmother and a Niçoise one are having a proper argument about whose region actually invented this cream-soaked, cheese-bombed masterpiece.
Regional Twist
Down in Lyon, cooks swap the Gruyère for local Saint-Marcellin cheese and stir a splash of white wine into the fresh cream, giving the baked rolled ham a tangier, funkier finish than the Alpine original ever intended.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(1)
- 140 g of basil tomato concentrate (4.94 oz)
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 8 slices of ham
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- 350 g of fresh cream (12.4 oz)
- Grated Gruyère cheese
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
440
Protein
14g
Carbs
8g
Fat
39g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Roll the slices of ham and place them in an oven-safe dish.
- 2
In a bowl, mix the fresh cream with the basil tomato concentrate until you have a smooth sauce.
- 3
Generously pour the mixture over the rolled ham.
- 4
Sprinkle with grated Gruyère cheese.
- 5
Bake until the cheese is melted and nicely golden.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Warm your cream to 40-45°C before mixing with tomato concentrate to prevent the acidic tomato from causing the cream to break and separate, which occurs when pH drops below 4.5 in cold cream.technique40-45°C (104-113°F)
- ✓Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 12-15 minutes because Gruyère requires this specific temperature range to brown via the Maillard reaction without the cream sauce curdling (which happens above 82°C/180°F for extended periods).timing375°F (190°C), 12-15 minutes
- ✓Use a 3:1 cream-to-tomato concentrate ratio by weight (350g cream to ~115g concentrate) to maintain proper sauce viscosity and prevent it from becoming too acidic, which would break the emulsion and curdle dairy proteins.ingredient3:1 ratio (cream:concentrate)
- ✓Pat ham slices dry with paper towels before rolling because excess surface moisture creates steam that prevents proper browning of the cheese crust (Maillard reaction requires dry surfaces above 140°C).techniqueRemove surface moisture