Long weekends are meant for baking, right?
And while I realize that the perfect Memorial Day treat isn’t a bread that originates from Georgia, I didn’t want to go another day without trying this.
Back in November, I visited my grandfather in Colorado for his birthday. The birthday dinner was catered by a Georgian restaurant and that was my first introduction to khachapuri, this yeasty, tangy, cheese-filled bread that apparently everyone else at the table was familiar with, but was news to me.
I spent at least the next week Googling different variations of the bread (there are many) and asking my sister to repeat again and again how to pronounce the bread’s name, because it just wouldn’t stick.
November was a long time ago, and I finally got around to trying my hand at this bread. While the typical filling is just cheese and maybe an egg on top, I wanted to give the bread some additional love. Asparagus season is upon us and asparagus and mild cheese go well together. I hope I’m not offending anyone’s Georgian grandmother by doing so.
The bread is lovely straight out of the oven while the cheese is gooey and hot—you can rip the ends of the boats off and dip them into the center. Or you can let it cool slightly, cut it into big pieces, and serve it as an appetizer at a party. Even when cold, the khachapuri is the perfect snack, which is exactly how we ate it up at the cabin sitting by the lake this weekend.
- ½ cup whole milk
- 3 tablespoons warm water
- 2 cups + 2 tablespoons bread flour
- 1½ teaspoons instant dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into cubes
- 6 ounces goat cheese
- 6 ounces asparagus, woody ends trimmer and chopped into ¼ inch rounds
- 6 ounces fresh mozzarella
- 1 small egg, whisked
- In a small saucepan, heat milk and water over low heat to about 100F. Turn heat off and cover.
- In a stand mixer, combine flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Using the dough hook attachment, stir to combine. Turn speed to low and add butter, a few cubes at a time, until mixture is crumbly, about 1 minute.
- Pour in warmed milk and water and continue to mix dough on low speed for about 4 minutes, scraping down the sides as you go to make sure all flour is incorporated. Turn speed up to medium and mix until dough is smooth, about 2-3 minutes.
- Transfer dough to a well oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let dough rise for about 1½ to 2 hours. The dough will not double in size, but it should puff up nicely.
- Divide dough into two even pieces. Shape each piece of dough into an oval shape with your hands, then roll out on a lightly floured surface, maintaining the oval shape, until dough is about ¼ inch thick. Transfer dough to a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- To fill the dough, start by crumbling goat cheese evenly between the two pieces of dough, staying about 1 inch away from all edges. Next, sprinkle asparagus on top of goat cheese, leaving a small handful for the top, and follow it up with the mozzarella.
- Gently pinch together dough on one end of the oval and work your way around the dough, folding the excess dough over the top and gently pressing it into the filling. Finish by pinching the other end. Sprinkle remaining asparagus on top, tucking it into the mozzarella if needed, for that extra pop of green on top. Cover bread with plastic wrap and let rise once again for 30-60 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- Right before baking, brush dough with egg wash. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melty. Let cook for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Recipe adapted from Food52.
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