So I’ve been on this Eastern European kick, and it just keeps on providing. There’s just something about how rustic and simple, yet jam packed with flavor, their foods are that keeps me coming back for more. So there is a Georgian restaurant in San Diego that I used to go to all the time - That was the first and only time I’ve had it, much to my chagrin. They presented it as pizza that you mix an egg into, so I basically had to get it. At that time, I found the cheese mixture inside to be a little too salty, and I also found that the egg didn’t really add anything in terms of richness or flavor. Nonetheless it was extremely crave-worthy, and I fully planned to go back once a week for the rest of my life just for that one dish, but then I moved and now I’m sad :( Or at least I was until I decided to make a new and improved version myself this past weekend!
The original recipe called for farmer’s cheese, but like what the hell even is that? So I used an updated mixture made up of cheeses that are easily sourced in America. It ended up being way creamier, way less salty, more cheesy in flavor in that I could discern the tastes of individual cheeses, and when the egg got mixed in at the end, it didn’t scramble - it just blended in to smooth out the mixture as well as add a buttery finish to the filling. But there was still a component missing. There was no kick, and no relief from the saltiness; that’s not to say that it was too salty, but rather that saltiness was the only flavor profile really. So I also added some Hungarian paprika to some melted butter and brushed the dough with that. It gave it just a small amount of sweetness and acidity, which really elevated the otherwise heavy (though surprisingly light at the same time?) cheesy filling.
The dough itself also helped to add some lightness. It’s puffy and chewy at the same time. It doesn’t have huge air pockets like pizza dough, but it’s still airy. It’s not dense or dry. It’s just perfect. It can be rolled out super thin, and it’s easy to work with, so shaping it into the characteristic canoe shape was no problem at all. My favorite part of all is that you can fold it up over the cheese so there is a stuffed crust effect, like you’re in a Pizza Hut rest stop on the highway in the 90s… Might this dish pair well with Mountain Dew?
Butter Count: 2 Tbsp
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup warm milk
1/3 cup warm water
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 packet active dry yeast
2 tsp olive oil
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup shredded fresh mozzarella
3/4 cup shredded monterey jack
1/3 cup crumbled soft feta
2 eggs
2 Tbsp melted butter
1 Tbsp Hungarian sweet paprika
INSTRUCTIONS:
Combine the milk, water, sugar, and yeast in a bowl. Let rest at room temperature until the yeast is frothing, about 10 minutes.
While the yeast primes, combine the flour, oil, and salt in a large bowl. Pour in the yeast mixture and knead about 10 minutes until the dough is elastic, and pulls back into its original shape when you push on it.
Gather the dough into a ball and leave it in an oiled bowl to rise at room temperature about 1.5 hours, until doubled in size.
While the dough rises, combine the cheeses in a bowl and dust the mixture lightly with flour.
Preheat the oven to 450F.
When the dough is risen, cut it in half. Roll each half into really whatever shape you want, about 1/4 inch thick.
Place half the cheese mixture onto each square. The cheese will pile, but try to make it as flat as possible, all the way to the edge if you want a stuffed crust effect.
Roll the four sides toward the center, and crimping slightly so that the shape will be held. It should now resemble a square. Fold two corners toward the center again, so that the canoe is created, and then twist the other two corners together so that the canoe doesn’t fall apart.
Use a fork to mix the paprika into the butter in a small bowl.
Bake for 15 minutes on a super lightly floured baking sheet. Crack an egg into the center of each pie, and brush the edges with the butter. Place in the oven for an additional 5 minutes until the egg is almost set, but there is still some uncooked whites around the yolk.
Remove the pies from the oven and serve immediately. When they are still hot, use a fork to stir the egg into the hot cheese to continue cooking it. You need to stir for about a minute to fully cook the egg, and to get the mixture completely smooth.