Georgian Cheese bread
It's what's for breakfast!
We made these over the long weekend. They are called Khachapuri and come from the country of Georgia. So rich, so cheesy. Be careful, one of these easily feeds two. And they are super rich.
These cheese breads are easy to make and taste great. We followed a Chef John recipe and added some chorizo to give a little smoky flavor to the recipe.
Great to have on a weekend morning when you are looking for something different and filling.
Ingredients:
Dough:
½ cup warm milk
⅓ cup warm water
1 (.25 ounce) package of active dry yeast
1 ½ teaspoons white sugar
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, or more as needed, for dusting
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
Cheese Blend:
8 ounces of feta cheese, crumbled
4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (we used pepper jack cheese)
4 ounces low-moisture mozzarella cheese, shredded
Filling:
2 large eggs\
1 tablespoon butter, cut into 4 pats
sea salt to taste
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste (Optional)
Several slices of dried chorizo (optional)
Directions:
Make dough:
Combine milk, water, yeast, and sugar in a large bowl. Let stand until yeast forms a creamy foam, about 5 minutes. Add 2 cups flour, olive oil, and salt; mix until a sticky dough forms.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead for about 3 minutes, adding in the remaining 1/4 cup flour as needed, until the dough is very soft but still workable. Form into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in volume, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C).
While the dough rises, prepare the cheese blend: Toss together feta, Monterey Jack, and mozzarella cheese in a medium bowl. Refrigerate the cheese mixture until needed.
After the dough has risen, assemble your cheese bread.
Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a floured surface. Flatten slightly and cut in half. Place 1 dough half on a sheet of parchment paper dusted with flour. Roll out into a rectangle about 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick.
Arrange 1/4 of the cheese mixture in 2 rows, 1 to 2 inches from the longest sides. Roll sides up tightly over the cheese, forming a canoe shape. Pinch and twist the ends to seal. Trim excess parchment and lift the dough onto a baking sheet. Shape and stuff the remaining dough in half. Fill the canoes with the remaining cheese mixture.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Form a well in the center of each khachapuri using a spoon; crack an egg inside each well and add chorizo (if desired).
Return to the oven and bake until eggs are mostly set; 3 to 4 minutes.
Remove khachapuri from the oven, and place 2 pats butter over each egg, then sprinkle with salt and cayenne.
Plate khachapuri; tear off one end and use it to stir butter into the egg.