Dinner

Khachapuri

Servings4

Time to Cook18 minutes

Time to Prepare70 minutes

Khachapuri is a traditional dish from Georgia, made with a “boat” of bread filled with a variety of toppings as well as cheese and an egg.

Recipe courtesy of Eggs.ca.

Ingredients

Dough

3 1/3 cups (835 mL) all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp (1.25 mL) instant active dry yeast
2 tsp (10 mL) fine sea salt
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) water

Filling

1/2 cup (125 mL) balsamic vinegar
4 tbsp (60 mL) olive oil
1 tsp (5 mL) minced garlic
4 1/2 oz (125 g) fresh spinach
1/2 cup (125 mL) caramelized onions (see notes)
2 oz (60 g) Brie, diced
4 eggs
3 thin slices prosciutto, chopped
1 avocado, thinly sliced
1 Pinch salt
1 Pinch pepper
Red pepper flakes (optional)
Flake salt (optional)

Instructions

Dough

The night before baking or several hours ahead, mix together flour, yeast, and salt until combined. Add water; mix with an electric mixer until combined.
Cover with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for at least an hour or up to 24 hours. When ready to use, the dough should be doubled in size and have a light, airy texture. Bubbles may appear on the surface of the dough.
When ready to make the khachapuris, preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C). Place pizza stone inside, if using.
Place a piece of parchment paper on a peel if using a pizza stone. Or if using baking sheets, dust them with flour.
Remove the dough from the bowl and lightly knead for several minutes until no longer sticky. Divide the dough into 4 portions. Flatten each portion into an 8-inch (20 cm) round and place on the pizza stone or baking sheet.

Filling

Place balsamic vinegar in a small skillet or saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it bubbles and reduces to a thick syrup consistency, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. The balsamic reduction will continue to thicken a bit as it cools.
Top each prepared round of dough with 1 tbsp (15 mL) of olive oil. Add 1/4 of the garlic, spinach, prosciutto, caramelized onions, and Brie, making sure to leave a 1 inch (2.5 cm) border free of toppings around the edge of the dough. Create two small wells in the toppings for an egg and avocado to be added later. Top with a pinch of salt and pepper. Pinch up two opposite sides of dough to make a “boat” shape.
Slide khachapuris into the preheated oven and bake for 4 minutes. Open the oven and quickly crack an egg into each well. Bake until the whites are firm but the yolks are a bit runny, about 5 minutes.
Remove khachapuris from the oven and top with avocado slices, and if desired, a pinch each of red pepper flakes and flake salt. Drizzle with balsamic reduction. Serve immediately.

Notes

Caramelized Onions

Caramelized onions are easy to make, they just take a bit of time. Slice two medium-large onions thinly and cook them slowly in about 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat for 20-30 minutes. They’ll go from translucent to deeply caramel in colour and will need frequent stirring to ensure they don’t burn. If the pot becomes very dry, you can add a tablespoon or two of water or broth to prevent burning and to scrape up any darker bits off the bottom.

Once cooled, your caramelized onions will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week.

BonAppetit.com has an excellent step-by-step tutorial to walk you through the process.