Khachapuri Acharuli

Ingredients

• 1⅛ lbwheat floursifted, for the yeast dough
• 1¼ cupsmilklukewarm, about 35–40°C
• ¼ ozDry yeastor fresh yeast
• 1 tbspsugarto activate the yeast
• 1 tspsaltfor the dough
• 2 tbspvegetable oilneutral or olive oil
• 5¼ ozmatsonireplaces part of the dough liquid (optional)
• 14⅛ ozsulguni cheesecoarsely grated
• 7 ozImeretian cheesesubstitute mozzarella, adyghe cheese or feta/brynza
• 4eggone egg or just the yolk per boat
• 1⅓ ozbuttercold, added to the hot filling before serving
• ½ cupwatermakes the filling creamy (optional)
• black pepperto taste, in the filling (optional)

Method

1. Stir the dry yeast and sugar into the lukewarm milk (or water, around 35–105 °F) and leave it for 10–15 minutes, until it turns foamy.
2. Mix the sifted wheat flour with the salt, add the yeast mixture and the vegetable oil — if you like, swap part of the liquid for matsoni or yogurt — and knead everything into a smooth, slightly sticky dough.
3. Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour, until doubled, then knock it back briefly and let it rise a second time.
4. Coarsely grate the sulguni and imeretian cheese and mix them together; if you want a creamier filling, work in a little water, butter or an egg, and season with black pepper.
5. Divide the dough into four pieces and roll each one into an oval about 5 mm thick.
6. Roll the two long edges in towards the middle, pinch the ends together firmly and pull the sides apart so you end up with an open boat.
7. Spoon the cheese filling into the middle, set the boats on baking sheets lined with parchment, let them rest briefly and brush the rims with beaten egg.
8. Bake at 180–430 °F for about 15–20 minutes, until the rims are golden brown and the cheese is bubbling.
9. Take the boats out, press a hollow into the cheese with a spoon, drop in a whole egg or just the yolk and return them to the oven for 1–5 minutes — the yolk has to stay runny. Top each one with a piece of cold butter and serve straight away, piping hot.

Tips and variations

One source says cooks in Batumi use only the yolk; if you prefer, crack in a whole raw egg and let the white set lightly. For an extra-crisp rim, scrape the soft crumb out of the inside of the boat before adding the egg. There are shortcuts too — ready-made yeast dough, puff pastry or thawed roti flatbreads — or skip the dough altogether and shape the boat from a quark mixture with egg and a little flour. Quark also works in the filling, the cheese can be stirred with cold water into a loose, pourable mass, and smoked sulguni in the mix brings a smoky note; an extra scattering of sulguni on top before baking never hurts. Instead of the oven, an air fryer or convection grill does the job, and in mini format you can use quail yolks. Serve immediately, scattered with chopped parsley, coriander or dill — stir the yolk, butter and cheese together, tear off the rim and dip.