Title: Khachapuri (Puffed Dough, Cheese Pie)
Categories: Cheese Israel Jewish Georgian
Yield: 8 Puff pies

STUFFING
3/4	lb	Feta cheese, grated
1		Egg, beaten
1/8	ts	Pepper
1	tb	Fresh dill, fine-chopped
1		Scallion, green part only, chopped
DOUGH
3	c	Flour
2		Eggs, beaten
1	c	Buttermilk, kept at room temp overnight
1/2	lb	Margarine

The dough in mixture ultimately becomes puff pastry. This leads me to believe that it would be for special occasions rather than for every day. Strongly flavored feta cheese is used in this case.

1. Mix everything together & divide it into 8 equal parts. Set aside.

2. Mix flour, eggs, & buttermilk together to develop a moist but easily handled dough. Knead for several mins; sprinkle w/flour if necessary. Let it rest, covered, for 15 mins.

3. Divide dough into 8 parts & divide margarine (do not use butter) into 8 parts -- 1 for each pieces of dough.

4. Roll out each part of dough on well-floured board into rectangle 4 x 6 inches. Spread over each rectangle 1/3 of its share of margarine. Fold both sides of rectangle toward center; pinch ends together firmly. Roll rectangle back to its former size, 4 x 6 inches. Do this w/all pieces of dough; put them on a tray & into freezer for 20 mins.

5. Remove rectangles & repeat this procedure a total of 3 times.

6. Preheat oven to 500F. Remove all sheets of dough from freezer. Place 1 part of cheese mixture along center of each, leaving 1-inch space on each end. Fold over both sides to center and press ends gently to seal them. Bake in hot oven for abt 20 mins, or until golden brown. The pies will puff up. They are eaten hot from oven.

NOTE: You may freeze baked pies. Cool them first, then store in plastic bags, & freeze for future use. Thaw them at room temp for 1 hr & reheat in a preheated 350F. oven for 10 mins.

Recipe: "Sephardic Cooking" by Copeland Mark -- 600 Recipes Created in Exotic Sephardic Kitchens from Morocco to India -- Copyright 1992 Published by Donald I. Fine, Inc., New York, N.Y. D. Pileggi

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