Ham Roll is a typical Japanese savory bread roll that can be found at many local bakeries in Japan. Thinly sliced ham is interestingly rolled into bread dough and baked, and it shows a nice swirl pattern in the end product. Ham Rolls may look a little complicated but they are actually quite simple to make once you know how to do it. We used the bread dough from our Japanese Basic Bread recipe which is light and fluffy, and perfect for these yummy rolls. If you are not familiar with Japanese Basic Bread, please check out that video first before tackling this dish to avoid an unsuccessful result.
If you are using our Japanese Basic Bread, complete to step 4, finishing the first rising of the dough. Divide the dough into 8 pieces, and let rest for 15 minutes. Then you can form the dough, add toppings, let rise a second time, and bake following this recipe. If you want to use your own bread recipe, prepare it up to the same point too, after the first rise, and form and bake using this recipe.
If you don’t like ham, use some other sliced meat like chicken or turkey. Sliced or shredded cheese works too, in which case it’s better to skip the mayo topping. Instead of onion slices for a topping, you may want to add corn or other vegetables of your choice. For hard vegetables, use chopped up cooked vegetables as toppings since raw vegetables may not be cooked through in the limited baking time.
Bread dough can be sticky, but once you get used to handling it, shaping the rolls is easy. Also, this is a very flexible recipe and easily compatible with other ingredients or condiments. Enjoy our original version, or have fun finding your favorite combination of toppings and flavors. Either way it will be yummy!
Japanese Ham Roll Recipe
*Links may contain ad. #CommissionsEarned
Ingredients
- 1 recipe Japanese Basic Bread
- 8 slices ham
- egg wash:1 egg plus pinch of salt mixed well
- Japanese mayonnaise
- 1/4 onion sliced thinly
- Aonori dried green seaweed flakes or dried parsley
Instructions
- Have Japanese Basic Bread ready up to step 4. Finish the first rise and deflate the gas from the dough. Then divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Form into small balls. Let them rest for 15 minutes covered.
- Preheat oven at 400F (205C).
- Roll out a ball of dough into an oval shape, about 4″x5″ (10cmx12.5cm). Lay a slice of ham over the dough and roll them together tightly like a jelly roll. Pinch all edges so that the ham is concealed in the dough. Now you have a stick-shaped dough. Place the dough on a cutting board and pinch the long ends of the stick together. Then push the dough down to make somewhat flat. It doesn’t have to be completely flat here. Make a vertical cut in the middle of the dough in the loop end but leaving 1″ in the pinched end uncut. (If you’re not sure how to do it, please watch the video.) Open up the dough and place on a baking pan lined with parchment paper, swirl side up. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Leave 2″ between rolls on the pan.
- Let rise for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.
- Brush egg wash on the rolls. Squeeze mayo on top, add a few pieces of sliced onion, and sprinkle with Aonori.
- Bake in the oven about 12 minutes or until browned.
Video
