Adjarian khachapuri with sulguni
Description
A proper khachapuri is above all about the cheese! Besides sulguni, use a soft brined cheese similar to Adyghe cheese. The ideal Adjaruli khachapuri should have a generous cheese filling, so don’t skimp on the cheese. In addition to cheese, Adjaruli khachapuri is made with a fresh egg yolk and a pat of butter. The flavor of this bake is beyond words—you simply have to make it. Serve warm or chilled. Perfect with tea.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
First, prepare the ingredients for the dough. If you use yeast instead of sourdough starter, 7 g of instant dry yeast or 20 g of fresh yeast is enough. If you are making the dough with sourdough starter, prepare it ahead of time, as it needs time to mature. Warm the milk in the microwave for 1 minute.
- 2
Step 2
Combine the starter and warm milk in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix for 3–4 minutes.
- 3
Step 3
Sift the flour through a sieve and add it to the bowl together with the salt. Pour in the vegetable oil and knead the dough.
- 4
Step 4
Knead the dough for 5–7 minutes until it becomes smooth and soft. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a bowl greased with vegetable oil.
- 5
Step 5
Let the sourdough dough rest for about 6 hours, then you can put it in the refrigerator overnight. Cover the bowl of dough with plastic wrap beforehand.
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Step 6
Divide the finished dough into three portions of about 300 grams each. Shape the pieces into rounds and place them on a board dusted with flour. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel so it does not dry out.
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Step 7
For the filling, grate Sulguni cheese on a grater. Soft Adyghe cheese can be crumbled by hand. If the cheese is not salty enough, add salt to taste.
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Step 8
To make the cheese filling creamier, add sour cream or heavy cream. Mix the filling and divide it into three equal parts, each weighing about 300 grams.
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Step 9
Roll the dough piece into a flat round. Spoon some of the cheese filling onto the center of the round.
- 10
Step 10
Gather the dough edges over the cheese filling in pleats and tie into a knot.
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Step 11
Turn the ball of dough with the cheese filling over, seam side down. Roll it out into an oval flatbread. With a sharp knife, make a cut down the middle of the “boat.”
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Step 12
Twist the slashed edges of the dough in opposite directions from each other to form a rim.
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Step 13
Transfer the finished khachapuri, together with the parchment paper, to an oven preheated to 180 degrees. Bake until golden brown and the cheese has melted. On the hot khachapuri, use a fork to gently push aside the layer of melted cheese and place an egg yolk on top. Remove the bake from the oven and, before serving, place a piece of butter on the cheese.
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Step 14
Ah, how delicious it is—to tear off bits of dough from the edges and dip them in the melted cheese filling!
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Step 15
Bon appétit!