Spinach and walnut khachapuri
This is cheese bread from Georgia, baked here with spinach and an egg. The butter on top forms a molten puddle, making these attractive gondolashaped breads especially delicious. Baked in the traditional way, khachapuri would have enough of a lip that you can saw it off with a small knife, and then use the offcuts to dip into the runny yolk and melted cheese, before picking up the khachapuri and demolishing the rest.
INGREDIENTS:
500g plain or strong flour 2 tsp fast-action dried yeast 1 tsp caster sugar
1 tsp salt, plus extra to season 1 tbsp olive or vegetable oil, plus extra for frying 350ml warm water
1 onion, peeled and finely diced
500g spinach, use cooked fresh or defrosted, either way squeeze out the water 150g mozzarella or halloumi cheese, chopped or grated 5 eggs
40g unsalted butter
40g shelled walnuts, roughly chopped (optional) freshly ground black pepper
METHOD:
Mix the flour, yeast, sugar, salt, oil and water in a large mixing bowl, until well combined to a soft dough. Turn on to a lightly floured or oiled surface and knead for a few minutes until elastic and smooth. Put back in the bowl, cover with cling-film and put to one side until almost doubled in size (about 2 hours).
Preheat the oven to 220°C/ fan 200°C. Line a baking sheet with baking paper, or, better still, heat a pizza stone in the oven.
Put enough oil in a frying pan to coat the base, and place over a moderate heat. Fry the onion for 8 minutes or so, until soft. Stir through the spinach and season to taste with salt and pepper. Turn off the heat and cool slightly, then stir through the cheese.
Divide the dough into 4 balls and roll each into an oval shape about 25cm long.
Divide the spinach mixture between the pieces (at this stage it helps to leave an indent in the spinach to add the egg later) leaving a 3cm border all around the edge. Fold up the sides and pinch the ends to seal.
Lightly beat 1 of the eggs to make a glaze, and brush over each dough shape before gently placing them on the lined baking sheet or stone. Bake for about 5 minutes, until is beginning to brown in places underneath. Crack an egg into the centre of each dough shape and add a goodsized knob (about 2 tablespoons) of butter.
Place back in the oven and continue cooking until the egg Flat bread ahead
Serves 8
INGREDIENTS:
130g light brown soft sugar, plus whites are opaque and the dough is cooked through.
Remove from the oven, sprinkle with the walnuts and serve immediately.
Recipe adapted from New Kitchen Basics, Quadrille (£25)