Adjaruli Khachapuri (Georgian Cheese Bread)

Hailing from the country of Georgia, adjaruli khachapuri is a marriage of bread and cheese in one of its most comforting, delicious forms. In this tried and true recipe from America's Test Kitchen, the simple yeasted dough is worked into a large boat shape and then filled with tangy feta and stringy mozzarella cheese. After a brief bake, a pat of butter and a golden egg yolk are immediately stirred into the molten hot center, transforming it into a smooth, creamy pool of cheese that's ideal for dipping torn-off pieces of the golden brown bread boat into.

To make the dough

1. Process flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in a food processor until combined, about 3 seconds. With the processor running, slowly add cold water and oil and process until dough forms a sticky ball that clears the sides of the bowl, 30 to 60 seconds.
2. Transfer dough to the counter and knead until smooth, about 1 minute. Shape the dough into a tight ball and place it in a greased bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise at room temperature until almost doubled in size, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. (Alternatively, the dough can rise in the refrigerator until doubled in size, about 24 hours. Let it come to room temperature, about 2 hours, before proceeding.)
3. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured 16- by 12-inch sheet of parchment paper and coat lightly with flour. Flatten into an 8-inch disk using your hands. Roll the dough into a 12-inch circle using a rolling pin, dusting the dough lightly with flour as needed.
4. Roll the bottom edge of the dough 2 1/2 inches toward the center. Rotate the parchment 180 degrees and roll the bottom edge of the dough (directly opposite the first rolled side) 2 1/2 inches toward the center. (Opposing edges of rolled sides should be 7 inches apart.)
5. Roll ends of rolled sides toward the centerline and pinch firmly together to form a football shape about 12 inches long and about 7 inches across at its widest point. Transfer parchment with dough to a rimmed baking sheet. Cover loosely with plastic and let rise until puffy, 30 minutes to 1 hour. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450F.

To make the filling

1. Combine mozzarella and feta in a bowl. Fill the dough with a cheese mixture, lightly compact it, and mound it in the center (cheese will be piled higher than the edge of the dough). Bake until crust is well browned and cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown in spots, 15 to 17 minutes.
2. Transfer the entire sheet pan to the wire rack. Add egg yolk and butter to the cheese filling and stir with a fork until fully incorporated and the cheese is smooth and stretchy. Lift the parchment off the sheet and slide the bread onto the serving dish. Serve immediately.

Farm Team Tips

Using cold water to make the dough keeps it from overheating in the food processor.

For best results, use low-moisture block mozzarella rather than fresh.