Ham roll stuffed with Tuscan bread

Ingredients:

• 1 fresh ham on the bone, with skin (weight 3.5 kg)
• 2 carrots
• 1 onion
• 2 stalks of celery
• 1 handful of fresh sage leaves
• 1 small loaf of day-old Tuscan bread, torn into 5cm pieces.
• 2 cups of milk
• 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
• 0.5 cups light raisins
• 0.5 cup mixed pitted olives, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 cups spinach leaves
• 0.5 tbsp. grated parmesan
• 3 tbsp chopped basil
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked and chopped
• 3 tbsp. l. chopped parsley
• Juice of half a lemon
• 3/4 cup olive oil

Preparation:

1. Place the ham on a large cutting board. Remove the bone and butterfly the meat; set the bone aside.
2. Cook the brothPlace the ham bone in a large saucepan. Add the carrots, onion, celery, and sage. Cover with water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Simmer the broth uncovered at a low simmer. Skim off any foam and simmer until the broth has reduced to 2 quarts (2 liters), about 2 hours. Strain the liquid and measure out 1 quart (1 liter). Freeze the remaining broth or use it in other dishes.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the ham and filling.In a medium bowl, soak the bread in milk until soft, about 15 minutes. Squeeze the bread and place it in a larger bowl. Add the pine nuts, raisins, olives, garlic, spinach, and Parmesan cheese and stir.
4. Place the ham fat side up. Using a sharp knife, make parallel slashes 0.5 cm deep, 5 cm apart, in opposite directions to create a lattice pattern. Season the meat generously with salt and pepper. Combine the basil, thyme, and parsley leaves in a bowl. Add lemon juice and enough olive oil to form a paste, about 0.5 cups. Rub the herb paste all over the ham.
5. Preheat oven to 175°.
6. Place the ham fat side down. Place a few cups of bread filling in the center of the ham. Roll the ham into a roll, spreading the filling evenly. Bake the remaining filling on a baking sheet for 40 minutes before serving. Tie the rolled ham with kitchen string in several places, spaced 7 cm apart.
7. In a roasting pan large enough to accommodate the ham, heat 1/4 cup olive oil over medium heat. Add the ham roll and brown on all sides, about 20 minutes. Remove the ham and place a rack in the roasting pan (or make one out of aluminum foil).
8. Place the ham on the rack. Pour half the broth into the roasting pan. Place in the oven and roast for 4 hours, basting every 30 minutes with the broth. Add more broth if needed. When the ham is tender, remove it from the oven and transfer it to a cutting board. Cover the ham with aluminum foil and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
9. Cut the string and slice the ham into slices about 5 cm thick. Serve with the remaining stuffing and polenta.