Khachapuri (Georgian Cheese Bread⁣)

Your complete guide to making the beloved Megrelian Khachapuri:

Ingredients:⁣
200 Gram white flour⁣
1/2 teaspoon yeast
1/4 teaspoon salt⁣
One egg yolk⁣
50 grams unsalted butter⁣
Warm water ⁣
An alternative for traditional Georgian cheese:⁣
200 grams fresh mozzarella ⁣
100 grams Greek feta ⁣
⁣

Step 1
To make the dough: Combine flour, yeast, and a bit of salt. Then add warm water and knead the dough until homogeneous. Periodically add some oil as needed to make the dough softer. Cover with plastic wrap and allow rising until doubled in bulk, about an hour. Punch the dough down with your fist and allow it to rise again about 40 minutes.

Step 2⁣
While the dough is rising, prepare the Filling: Georgians use Imeruli cheese for the filling, but since one cannot get this anywhere outside Georgia, you can use mozzarella and feta instead. Slice the mozzarella and feta. In a bowl, crumble both cheeses between your fingers.⁣

Step 3⁣
To make the khachapuri: Punch the dough down and roll out on the lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into small balls and, on a floured surface, roll the ball of dough into a round shape, about 40 cm in diameter. Place the crumbled cheese mixture in the center, then wrap the surrounding dough. Pick up the excess dough handing over the edges, flip the dough over and gently roll the Khachapuri into a rounded shape. Make sure it's not too thick. Allow the dough to rest for 5-10 minutes.

Step 4⁣
Preheat the oven to 270° C and transfer the Khachapuri to a baking sheet. ⁣

Step 5
Bake in the oven for 10 minutes until the top is golden brown. For the topping: Mix the egg yolk and some cheese mixture and brush the dough with it. ⁣Bake another 10 minutes, until golden.

Step 6
Serve hot with a pat of butter on the top. Goes beautifully well with amber wine.