Adjarian Khachapuri (Adjaruli Khachapuri)

Ingredients:

Cake

• 1 tbsp olive oil + extra for greasing the bowl
• 1/4 cup milk
• A pinch of sugar
• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 1 and 3/4 cups flour + extra for work
• 1 and 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
• Special equipmentpizza stone

Filling

• 450 gr. mozzarella, grated
• 220 g feta, crumbled
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tbsp (30 g) butter, cool room temperature

Preparation:

1. DoughGrease a medium bowl with a thin layer of olive oil. In a small saucepan, heat the milk with 1/2 cup of water over low heat until the temperature reaches 110-115°F (43-46°C). Pour the milk into the small bowl and mix with the sugar. Then sprinkle in the yeast and let it sit until foamy, 5-10 minutes. (Cover the bowl if the room is cool or the yeast is cold.)
2. Place the pizza stone on the bottom rack of the oven and remove the second rack if there is one. Preheat the oven to 260°C (400°F). Cut two pieces of parchment paper measuring 25 x 18 cm.
3. Place the flour in a medium bowl and stir in the salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture and olive oil. Stir with a wooden spoon until all the flour is incorporated and the dough forms a loose ball. It will be soft and sticky.
   
   Flour a work surface, turn the dough out onto the counter, and knead until smooth and elastic, but slightly sticky, about 5 minutes. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, turn it over to coat the entire surface with oil, and cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap. Let it rise in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes.
4. FillingIn a medium bowl, combine the mozzarella and feta cheeses with a fork. Make a small well in the center and add 1 egg. Lightly beat the egg with a fork and mix well with the cheeses.
5. Lightly flour a work surface. Turn the dough out onto the floured surface and cut it in half. Carefully shape the halves into circles. Place one sheet of parchment paper on the work surface and lightly flour it. Press and roll one half of the dough with a rolling pin into a circle 0.3 cm thick and 25 cm in diameter.
6. Place the circle on the parchment paper, with the dough hanging over the long edge. Then transfer the dough on the parchment paper to an upside-down baking sheet (or use a pizza peel). Repeat with the other piece of dough, transferring it to the other side of the second baking sheet.
7. Spread half the cheese mixture on the first circle of dough, spreading it out slightly, leaving about 1 cm from the edges, and concentrating most of the filling in the center (it should form a large mound). Roll the sides of the dough tightly toward the center to form a cheese-filled boat, approximately 25 cm long and 10 cm wide. Pinch the ends of the boat and twist to secure them. Repeat with the other piece of dough and the remaining cheese. Let rest for 10 minutes.
8. Place the khachapuri on the parchment paper onto a pizza stone, leaving 5-7 cm between them. Bake until golden brown and crispy, rotating the stone 180° after about 8 minutes, for a total of about 12 minutes.
9. Crack 1 egg into each khachapuri and continue baking until the whites are set around the edges and the yolk and surrounding yolk are still slightly raw, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, top each khachapuri with 1 tablespoon (15 g) of butter, and toss the eggs with the hot cheese (the yolks will cook). Serve immediately and eat, tearing off pieces of bread and scooping up the hot, gooey cheese.