Pata Negra Cannelloni

The first time I made this dish, I was trying to explain croquetas to a friend who didn’t grow up eating them. Béchamel, jamón, something creamy and savory held together just right. But instead of rolling, breading, and frying, I thought: what if you just wrapped the whole thing in a slice of Pata Negra? No breading. No deep fryer. Just the filling and the ham itself as the shell. The result was something simpler, more elegant, and — honestly — more true to what makes Ibérico ham extraordinary in the first place.

Why This Works

If you’ve ever had a great croqueta de jamón in Madrid or Seville, you already understand the magic of béchamel and jamón ibérico together. The béchamel provides body, richness, and a silky texture. The jamón brings the umami, the nuttiness, and the unmistakable depth that comes from acorn-fed pigs raised in the dehesa. In a croqueta, all of that gets encased in breadcrumbs and fried. Here, it gets wrapped in a thin slice of Pata Negra — which adds another layer of ham flavor and a delicate, silky texture that breadcrumbs can’t match. It’s the same logic, executed differently. Less fuss, more flavor.

Ingredients

• 8–10 thin slices of Jamón Ibérico de Bellota (Pata Negra), for wrapping
• 100g Jamón Ibérico, finely chopped (for the filling)
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 40g butter
• 40g plain flour
• 500ml whole milk, warmed
• Pinch of nutmeg
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Optional: grated Manchego for finishing

How to Make It

1. Sauté the aromatics. Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook slowly for 8–10 minutes until soft, sweet, and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute — just until fragrant, never browned.
2. Make the béchamel. In a separate saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the flour and stir continuously for about a minute to cook out the raw taste. Gradually whisk in the warm milk, a little at a time, until you have a thick, smooth sauce. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. The consistency should be thick enough to hold its shape on a spoon — thicker than you’d make for a lasagna.
3. Combine. Fold the sautéed onion and garlic into the béchamel. Then add the finely chopped jamón ibérico and stir through. The residual heat is enough — you don’t want to cook the jamón directly over high heat, which would drive off the delicate fats that give it that extraordinary aroma. Let the mixture cool until it’s firm enough to handle, at least 30 minutes in the fridge.
4. Wrap. Lay a slice of Pata Negra flat on a clean surface. Place a generous spoonful of the béchamel-jamón filling along one edge, then roll the ham around it, tucking the sides as you go. Think of it like a small, elegant parcel. Repeat with the remaining slices.
5. Serve. Arrange the cannelloni seam-side down on a plate or baking dish. You can serve them at room temperature — the way you’d serve good jamón — or warm them briefly in the oven at 180°C (350°F) for 5–6 minutes. A light grating of Manchego on top, a drizzle of olive oil, and they’re ready.

Tips

• The béchamel needs to be thick. If it’s runny, it won’t hold inside the ham. Err on the side of too thick — it will soften as it comes to temperature.
• Use hand-carved jamón slices rather than machine-cut. The slightly thicker, irregular slices hold the filling better and have more texture.
• Add the chopped jamón off the heat. The fat in Ibérico ham is where all the flavor lives. High heat renders it out. Room-temperature béchamel folded with jamón preserves everything.
• These can be assembled a few hours ahead and refrigerated. Pull them out 20 minutes before serving to take the chill off.

Wine Pairing

A Manzanilla sherry from Sanlúcar de Barrameda is the natural partner here — its salinity and bright acidity cut through the richness of the béchamel while complementing the nuttiness of the ham. If you prefer still wine, look for a young Godello from Valdeorras or a white Rioja with some weight. This isn’t a dish that needs a big red; it wants something crisp and clean alongside it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between this and croquetas?

The concept is the same — béchamel enriched with jamón ibérico. But croquetas are rolled into cylinders, breaded, and deep-fried. Here, the filling is wrapped in slices of Pata Negra instead. No breading, no frying. The ham itself becomes the exterior, which means you taste the jamón first rather than the crunch. It’s lighter, more refined, and lets the quality of the ham do the talking.

What exactly is Pata Negra?

Pata Negra — literally “black hoof” — refers to 100% Ibérico de Bellota ham from black-hoofed pigs raised free-range in the oak forests of southwestern Spain. During the montanera season, they feed almost exclusively on acorns, which gives the fat its distinctive nutty, sweet character. It’s one of the most prized cured meats in the world, and the quality of the fat is what makes this dish work.

Can I make this ahead of time?

Absolutely. In fact, the flavors improve after a few hours. Make the filling, let it set in the fridge, wrap the cannelloni, and refrigerate them covered. Pull them out 20 minutes before serving. They’re ideal for dinner parties — all the work happens beforehand.

Ready to make this at home? Shop our 100% Jamón Ibérico de Bellota at Ibérico Club — hand-carved, imported directly from Spain, shipped to your door.