Personally, I feel any variation of bread and cheese is suitable for many meals, however it normally capabilities like a snack, a associate dish, or an appetizer. Lastly I’ve had a tacky bread that looks like a meal—khachapuri. This sensible Georgian dish is all of the melty cheese you possibly can dream of, surrounded by carbs. And with this pizza dough hack, you don’t even have to proof the bread for hours.
What’s khachapuri?
Khachapuri originated in Georgia (the nation, not the state) and is so beloved, it’s Georgia’s nationwide dish. This specific kind of khachapuri is Adjarian khachapuri, named for the area of Georgia. The bread is formed like a ship, and its passengers are a pool of cheese, an egg yolk or entire egg, and a pat of butter. This can be a boat I’d prefer to be in.
Cheat with pizza dough
Historically the bread portion is a yeast dough made out of scratch in a reasonably typical method— knead, proof, deflate, form, and proof once more. Although I’ve seen recipes that will incorporate milk, sugar, or yogurt, many are merely composed of flour, liquid, yeast, and salt. Good. Your grocery retailer sells bread similar to this and the exhausting half is completed already. Seize a ball of pizza dough from the freezer part or the refrigerated aisle. We’re constructing a ship.
Tips on how to make khachapuri with pre-made pizza dough
Credit score: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
1. Stretch the dough
Should you’re utilizing frozen dough, you’ll have to thaw it first. I normally put it within the fridge in a single day however in the event you’re quick on time use this water tub technique. Break up the dough ball. A 20-ounce ball of dough could make 4 personal-sized khachapuris, or you may minimize the dough in half for 2 large shareable ones.
Because the completed form will likely be an oval, the dough ought to begin in an oval too. One of the simplest ways to do that is to form the minimize segments into dough balls. (Take a look at my video in the event you want a dough ball tutorial.) Now you should use a rolling pin—or use your palms if the dough is relaxed sufficient—to begin stretching out the dough in a single path to get a flat oval. My store-bought dough was pre-rolled into a big circle (a luxurious I seldom have), so I simply minimize it in half and stretched the middle out a bit. Put the ovals on a parchment lined baking sheet, and canopy it with a tea towel.
The cheese combination ought to be thick.
Credit score: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
2. Make the cheese combination
In addition to the distinctive form, the cheese combination is khachapuri’s signature function. In Georgia it’s frequent to make use of imeruli or sulguni cheese. The cheese melts, has a little bit of stretch to it, a fantastic curd texture, and a nice tanginess. If these cheeses aren’t obtainable or moderately accessible you should use a cheese combination that replicates their traits. I used a mix of shredded mozzarella, muenster, ricotta, and feta cheeses. The following time I make it I feel I’ll use extra feta as a result of I missed the tangy taste. Combine the chopped or shredded cheeses in a bowl together with an egg, salt, pepper, and freshly chopped parsley in the event you like.
Left: The dough is being formed. Proper: The dough is in boat form.
Credit score: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
3. Fill the boats
Uncover the bread boats and break up the cheese combination evenly amongst them. Put the cheese combination within the heart and flatten it out in an oval form, however depart a one or two-inch border of dough. Roll the sides of the dough up in opposition to the cheese heart so the dough curls over the sides of the cheese barely however don’t cowl the combination utterly. Twist the ends to carry the form.
My boats had plenty of extra dough on the ends due to the pointed form I began with. There’s no have to goal for that; simply seal or twist the ends nonetheless it feels pure.
Credit score: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
4. Bake the khachapuri
Egg wash the dough edges and bake the boats in a preheated 375°F oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or till the bread browns, and the cheese units and begins to barely puff on the sides. Take the khachapuri out of the oven. Use the again of a spoon to press a small divot into the cheese and drop a uncooked egg yolk into the despair. Add a pat of butter and serve it instantly. Alternatively, in the event you’re weirded out by uncooked egg, take the bread out of the oven midway by the bake time, make a divot within the cheese, and drop an entire egg onto the bread. Return it to the oven to finish the bake time and cook dinner the egg.
The cheese ought to nonetheless be sizzling whenever you serve the bread. Use a fork to scramble up the cheese with the melted butter and egg yolk, so the yolk cooks within the residual warmth and the combination turns into thick and spreadable. Rip off chunks of the boat and be sure you decide up a number of the cheese combination from the middle.
Pizza dough cooked at this temperature stays mushy and simply rippable, and this combination of cheeses offers a pleasant stability of tangy, melty stretch. I’ve a sense all the opposite variations of khachapuri are nearly as good as this one, and I can’t wait to strive them. I feel I would have to get a cheese-only fridge.
Fast and Straightforward Khachapuri
Elements:
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1 ball of pre-made pizza dough (minimize in half or quarters)
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1 egg
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½ cup entire milk ricotta cheese
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1 cup shredded entire milk mozzarella
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½ cup shredded muenster cheese
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¾ cup crumbled feta cheese
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½ teaspoon salt
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½ teaspoon black pepper
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1 tablespoon chopped recent parsley
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Egg wash for the bread
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2-4 eggs or egg yolks (one per boat)
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Pats of butter for ending
1. Stretch out the dough balls, or roll them with a pin, till you will have a protracted oval (about 14 inches lengthy for half the dough, or eight inches lengthy for private dimension). Place the ovals on parchment lined baking sheets. Cowl the dough with a tea towel and put aside. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the egg, cheeses, salt, pepper, and parsley collectively till effectively mixed.
3. Uncover the dough boats and divide the cheese combination amongst them. Unfold out the cheese combination to fill the middle, however depart a one to two-inch border all the way in which round. Roll the sides as much as the cheese and have it curl over the filling a bit. Don’t cowl the filling utterly. Twist the ends to carry the form. Repeat this with the opposite boats.
4. Egg wash the sides and bake the khachapuri breads for 20 to 25 minutes, or till the bread browns and the cheese is melted and ever so barely puffing across the edges. Use the again of a spoon to press an indent into the cheese and add a uncooked egg yolk. Add a pat of butter and instantly serve the boats piping sizzling.
For cooked eggs, take away the khachapuri midway by the cooking time. Press an indent into the cheese with a spoon and add an entire egg to every boat. Return them to the oven for the remainder of the cooking time, till the eggs are cooked to your liking. Serve instantly.
