Adjaruli Khachapuri (Georgian Cheese Bread)

Step 1

Mix the water and milk in a large bowl. Add the sugar and mix until dissolved. Sprinkle the yeast over the liquid and let it stand for 5-7 minutes, until the yeast becomes foamy. Mix the yeast into the liquid. Add the oil and mix well.

Step 2

Mix 2 cups of flour into the yeast mixture. Mix in the salt. Add the remaining flour, a little at a time, mixing after each addition, until the dough starts to come together.

Step 3

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for 5-7 minutes, adding flour as necessary to keep it from sticking to your hands or the counter, until a soft (but not sticky) dough forms.

Step 4

Place the dough into a greased bowl. Cover it with a damp tea towel. Place the bowl in a warm, draft-free place to rise for 1 – 1 ½ hours, until bubbly and doubled in bulk.

Step 5

While the dough is rising, make your filling. In a small bowl, mix the shredded mozzarella and feta cheese with one egg. Set aside.

Step 6

For best results, move your oven rack to roughly 6 inches from the top heating unit. Preheat your oven to 475F.

Step 7

Once the dough has risen, punch it down and turn it onto a floured surface. Divide the dough into 4, roughly even, pieces.

Step 8

Shape each piece into an oval, roughly 11 x 6”. Place the dough ovals onto greased baking sheets, leaving an inch between each bread.

Step 9

On the baking sheet, fold ¾ of an inch of dough inwards to create a thicker border, a crust that will keep the melted cheese and egg inside. Pinch the two small ends into points to create a boat-shape.

Step 10

Spoon ¼ of the filling into the center of each “boat”. Smooth the filing with a spoon.

Step 11

Place the khachapuri into the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, until lightly golden.

Step 12

Remove the khachapuri from the oven and crack one egg into the center of the bubbling cheese in each boat. Return the khachapuri to the oven and bake for an additional 3-4 minutes, just until the egg has set.

Step 13

Serve the khachapuri warm, with a small pat butter on top or brush the crust with a little melted butter before serving. It is traditional to mix the egg and melted cheese with a fork and dip torn off pieces of the crust into the cheesy, eggy goodness in the middle.