Khachapuri Adjaruli
Ana Ferreira Demo- Makes
- 1.5 boats · about 735 g
- Active
- 16 min
- Total
- 2 h
You’ll Need Baking sheet or pizza stone, Parchment paper, Rolling pin
Method
Dough
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Combine , , and in a bowl and make a well. Pour in and , stir with a wooden spoon, then switch to your hands once it comes together.
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Knead until soft, tender and elastic, adjusting with a little flour or water.
softer than your earlobe when pinchedsmooth and springy -
Oil the bowl, shape the dough into a ball, cover with a damp towel and leave in a warm place for about .
doubled in sizeOr rise slowly in the fridge overnight.[object Object]
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Stretch one edge of the dough up and over to the other side, repeat all the way round, turn it over and gently round it into a ball. Rest more.
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Cheese Filling
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Mix , , , , and until evenly combined. Divide into three firm balls.
a thick, evenly moistened paste
Shaping and Baking
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Put an upturned rimmed baking sheet or a pizza stone in the oven and heat it to 230 °C. Crack each of into its own small bowl, and cut three pieces of parchment about 13 cm (5 ⅛ in) by 20 cm (7 ¾ in).
230 °C[object Object]
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Punch down the dough, turn it onto a well floured surface and divide into three. Keep two covered.
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Press one piece into a 10 cm (4 in) to 12 cm (4 ¾ in) round, then roll it out to about 25 cm (9 ¾ in), leaving the edges a little thicker than the centre.
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Roll one side tightly toward the centre, about a third of the way, then the opposite side. Pinch the two ends, twist them while pulling outward, and pinch again to make a pointed boat. Set it on a floured piece of parchment.
a boat with tall rolled sides and a wide open middle -
Press a ball of cheese into the hollow, spreading it to pack the centre evenly. Repeat with the other two pieces.
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Slide the boats, on their paper, onto the hot sheet or stone and bake .
230 °Cthe crust is light goldenthe cheese has melted and is bubbling[object Object]
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Take them out one at a time, make a well in the cheese with a fork and slide in an egg without breaking the yolk. Bake more.
230 °Cthe white has set but the yolk still wobblesthe crust is deep golden brown[object Object]
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Put each boat on a plate, top with a pat of and serve at once.
From Ana Ferreira
The cheese filling is loosened with an egg, a little water and a pinch of flour so it melts into a smooth, bubbling pool rather than oily strings. The dough is rolled thinner in the middle than at the edges, then the sides are rolled in tightly and the ends twisted, so the boat bakes with tall, crisp walls. At the table, stir the yolk and butter into the cheese and tear off the crust to dip.
Notes
- The cheese: in Georgia this is made with imeruli and sulguni. Outside Georgia, a mix of feta for salt and tang, ricotta for creaminess and low-moisture mozzarella for stretch comes very close. If you can find imeruli and sulguni, use them in place of the three cheeses.
- Dough feel: it should be softer than your earlobe. Add a little flour if it is too wet or a splash of water if too stiff.
- The egg: make a well in the cheese with a fork before sliding the egg in, and crack each egg into its own small bowl first so a broken yolk does not end up in the bread.
- To eat: mix the egg and butter into the hot cheese straight away, then tear off pieces of the crust and dip.
Storage
Best eaten straight from the oven. Leftovers (without the egg) keep a day in the fridge; reheat in a hot oven.
Make Ahead
The dough can rise slowly in the fridge overnight; let it warm up for an hour before shaping.
When to Start
Plan backwards from a time
Filed under Main · Caucasus › Georgia › Adjara · Cheese · Filled Bread · Baking · Khachapuri Adjaruli. Tags: #cheesy, #vegetarian.