Imeretian cheese bread (Khachapuri imeruli)

1. In a bowl, mix the yoghurt with the egg, salt and bicarbonate of soda; gradually work in the flour and knead into a soft, slightly sticky dough; cover and leave to rest for 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile coarsely grate or crumble the imeruli cheese, knead it together with 10 g soft butter and shape into two equal balls.

3. Divide the dough in half and press each piece into a disc of about 20 cm on a floured surface; put a ball of cheese in the middle, draw the edges of the dough up and pinch them together at the top, like a bundle.

4. Turn the bundle seam side down and flatten it, first with your hands, then gently with a rolling pin, into a disc about 1 cm thick and 25-28 cm across, without letting the cheese break through; poke a small hole in the top to let steam escape.

5. Heat a large frying pan with a little butter over medium heat, lay in the bread, cover and cook for 5-7 minutes per side until golden (or bake in a 220 °C oven for 15 minutes).

6. Brush the tops of the hot breads with the remaining butter, cut into wedges and serve warm – it's a meal in itself, rounded off with pickles and a salad.

Tip: Imeruli is one of the simplest khachapuri, the everyday bread of Georgian households. If you have no imeruli cheese, a half-and-half mix of mozzarella and feta is the best substitute.