This is cheese bread from Georgia, baked here with spinach and an egg. The butter on top forms a molten puddle, making these attractive gondola-shaped 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.

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. l 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 good-sized knob (about
2 tablespoons) of butter.
• Place back in the oven and continue cooking until the egg 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)