Khachapuri (Georgian Cheese Bread)

Submitted by DrGaellon

"Another variation on this specialty of the Caucasus. Serve with a side salad, and it makes a full meal all by itself. This recipe (http://bit.ly/eT2ODq) was linked from the Wikipedia article (http://bit.ly/hZ8FuN). Time cited does not include rising time (90-135 minutes)."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 5mins
• Ingredients: 16
• Serves: 8

ingredients

• 2 1⁄4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1⁄4 cup warm water
• 3⁄4 cup milk, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1⁄2 cup melted butter
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 3 1⁄2 cups bread flour

• Filling

• 1⁄2 lb muenster cheese, shredded
• 1⁄2 lb jarlsberg cheese or 1/2 lb swiss cheese, shredded
• 1⁄2 lb white cheddar cheese, shredded
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1⁄4 teaspoon white pepper

• Glaze

• 1 egg white
• 1 tablespoon water

directions

1. Dissolve yeast and 1 tsp sugar in 1/4 cup water and let stand 5-10 minutes to proof until foamy. Add milk, 2 tbs sugar, butter, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead until soft and smooth.
2. Grease a bowl with oil. Place dough in oiled bowl and turn to coat all sides. Cover and let rise until double in bulk, 60-90 minutes.
3. Grease a 9″ spring form pan very well. Mix together filling ingredients until well-combined.
4. Punch down dough, shape into a ball, and roll to a 20″ circle. Ease dough into pan (fold in half to lift and unfold in pan), letting excess hang over the edge.
5. Mound cheese filling onto dough in pan and bring dough up over the filling, folding to make 8-12 evenly spaced pleats. Twist and pinch ends together in the center to make a rough knob.
6. Cover with a buttered 12″ square of waxed paper and let rise until double in bulk, 30-45 minutes. Remove and discard waxed paper.
7. Beat together egg white and water with a fork. Brush top of dough with glaze.
8. Bake in a preheated 375F oven 40-50 minutes, or until deep golden brown. Remove bread from pan, place directly on oven rack, and bake for an additional 5 minutes to brown bottom crust.
9. Cool on rack at least 45 minutes before cutting into wedges.

Reviews

[nandajo]

This was a total waste of my time! I followed the recipe to a 'T' and it just turned out awful! The bread was more like pizza crust, the dough never rose, either time. A disappointment.