Georgian Cheese Bread
You might be wondering how the cheese got ingrained in there. The two kinds of coarsely grated cheeses (I used havarti and fresh mozzarella chopped in the food processor) are lumped into one big ball — and you might cry when you realize the amount of cheese in there as you hold it, but carry on because this really is one mightily awesome food to reach your mouth — but as I was saying, so the ball is placed in the middle of the slightly flattened dough, then it’s wrapped and ‘tied’ at the top, then pushed back down to spread into an 11-inch disk. Makes sense? That was the most challenging part for me.
It’s baked for 10 minutes, then sprayed with olive oil and baked for another 3 minutes to brown. And then you’ll be rewarded with this:
Ingredients:
* 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (a 1/4-oz package)
* 7 tablespoons warm water (105-115°F)
* 1 2/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, divided
* 3/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 large egg, lightly beaten
* 1/4 lb Havarti cheese, coarsely grated
* 1/4 lb fresh mozzarella, coarsely grated (add 1/2 tsp salt)
* olive oil (for spraying or brushing)
Preparation:
1. Sprinkle yeast over warm water and stir in 1 tablespoon flour. Let stand until creamy, about 5 minutes. (If yeast does not activate, start over with new yeast.)
2. Stir together salt and remaining flour in a large bowl, then stir in egg and yeast mixture to form a dough.
3. Turn out dough onto a well-floured surface and turn to coat with flour, then knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Form into a ball and dust with flour. Let dough rest in a bowl, covered with plastic wrap, punching down with a wet fist every hour, at least 2 hours and up to 3.
4. Preheat oven to 500°F with rack in middle.
5. Turn out dough onto floured pizza pan, turning to coat, then flatten with your fingers into a 7-inch disk.
6. Toss together cheeses and press into a compact 3-inch ball with your hands. Place ball in middle of dough, then gather dough up around ball of cheese, squeezing excess dough into a topknot. Press down on topknot with a damp fist to press cheese out from center. Continue to flatten dough and distribute cheese evenly, pressing outward from center, until dough is an 11-inch disk.
7. Cut a 6-inch X through top of dough to expose cheese. Bake until pale golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Brush/spray surface of dough with olive oil and bake until golden and cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes more.
8. Serve cut into wedges.
Cooks’ note: Dough can be made 1 day ahead and chilled in bowl (for a slow rise), covered with plastic wrap. Punch down and bring to room temperature before proceeding with recipe.
Gourmeted’s notes:
1. If you are using a perforated pizza pan, be sure to have a baking sheet on the rack underneath it when you bake the bread. There might be cheese dripping through the holes. One that note, the cheese might burn so be ready for a smoky oven (and kitchen, and house…).
2. The cheese bread reheats well in the microwave for 20 seconds.