Khachapuri (cheese-crammed bread)

 

Dough: 

• 1/2 cup milk, 1/3 cup water, (though this is not enough, so about 1.5 cups milk/water) 
• 2tsp yeast, 1.5 sugar, 2 olive oil, 1.5 salt 
• 2 cups plain flour plus for kneading 

1 pound of cheese (pizza cheese, fetta, cottage, whatever mix you like) and I chucked in some cubed ham, makes two of the original cheese vaginas. 

You're meant to stuff the crust, roll it into a... well, nice little... and then there's a gap in the middle which you also stuff with cheese, bake, then back into the oven with a finishing off of an egg and knobs of butter in the middle of the... thing. 

HOWEVER, while these were intriguing and pretty tasty, it was all a bit much. So next time I thought we'd just have Pure Stuffed Crust, and forget about the hole in the middle. It makes the dough underneath rather squishy, and also is not really as convenient a place to dip the bread in as it might seem. I will make some equivalent dipping sauce, either with egg like a hollandaise or perhaps with yoghurt, or a spicy salsa type, or a mix of all of the above. It'll be easier to eat and less soggy, as well as cutting down on the excessive cheese. I'll also serve it with something like a very acid side, like olive/roast pepper salad. On this occasion I served it with 'Communist Salad', which was OK but could do with more. Also another salad that provides crunch and leaf, to counteract all the squish. 

Here's communist salad: 

Beetroot, sliced orange, carrot (grated), sesame seeds. Others as wishes. The point is that it's red and tangy.