Prep. time: 30 minutes
Rising time: 2 hours
Waiting time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 55 minutes
 

This folar is a savory bread typical of the Trâs-os-Montes region in far northeastern Portugal. The recipe varies from one locality to another, but it is generally stuffed with chicken and cured meats. In Chaves and Valpaços, folar contains pork and veal, dried ham, sausages, goat and chicken.

While folar may be found year-round, traditionally it was prepared specially for Easter as a rich festive bread following the fast of Lent.

 Bread

1. Gently heat the butter, lard and olive oil. Set aside.
2. Place the flour on a work surface and form a well in the center. Add the yeast dissolved in 2 Tbsp. warm water, the salt and the eggs. Mix well with your hands.
3. Add the melted fats from step 1 and knead everything, mixing in small quantities of flour as needed to form a smooth bread dough. Knead until the dough is not longer sticky.
4. Form the dough into a ball and place in a floured bowl. Cover with a cloth and leave to rise in a warm draft-free place until doubled in volume.

Filling

1. Cut up the chicken and coarsely shred the meat.
2. Skin the chorizo and cut into pieces. Cut the ham into strips.

Assembly

1. Oil a large bread pan.
2. Divide the dough into three equal pieces. Spread one piece of dough in the bottom of the pan and sprinkle half the chicken, sausage and ham on top. 
3. Cover with another piece of dough and sprinkle on the remaining chicken, sausage and ham. Finish with the final piece of dough.
4. Let rise for an hour in a warm draft-free place.

Baking

1. Preheat the oven to 200° C.
2. Brush the top of the loaf with egg beaten with a little water.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 160° C and continue baking 15 minutes longer. 
4. Remove the folar from the oven and let cool to lukewarm before unmolding. Serve the bread cold or slightly warm.