Georgian Khachapuri

1. Thaw pizza dough balls overnight under refrigeration or for about 5 hours at ambient temperature.
2. Preheat a convection oven to 350°F on high fan.
3. Pulse the mozzarella and feta together with salt and pepper in a food processor just until incorporated and the cheeses are similar in size. Reserve.
4. Gather a small stainless steel bowl and whisk an egg with a teaspoon of water. Reserve to apply with a pastry brush as an egg wash.
5. Flour your work surface slightly.
6. Coat a 16” pizza screen with pan spray.
7. Toss and stretch the dough in an oblong shape long enough to fit lengthwise on a 16” pizza screen.
8. Transfer the stretched dough to the screen (approximately 16” x 8”).
9. Fold over the edges of the dough by 1”- 2” toward the center to make a crust or wall for the entire khachapuri.
10. Twist the top corners together to form a point and repeat the same process with the bottom corners. It will be a canoe-shaped bread boat with dough walls.
11. Par-bake the crust on the middle rack for 10 minutes and remove.
12. Press the puffed center sections down under the crust walls as needed.
13. Brush the egg wash on the crust and fill the boat evenly with the cheese mixture.
14. Place the khachapuri back into the oven on the middle rack for 10 minutes and remove.

TO PLATE:

1. Separate the remaining egg and place just the whole yolk on the middle of the khachapuri.
2. Rub the whole butter along the crust allowing it to melt.
3. Prior to eating, instruct your guest to mix the egg yolk with the melted cheese or have your waitstaff do that tableside.
4. Cut into 4” wide planks and place on a serving tray.

This recipe originally appeared in the Gordon Food Service Foodscape publication.