Campfire Griddle Georgian Khachapuri with Farm Cheese and Garden Tomato Salad

Build a campfire and let it burn down to an even bed of orange coals, then set a cast-iron griddle or large skillet over it to preheat. At home, use a heavy skillet over medium heat.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella
• 1 cup crumbled feta or farmers cheese
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened, for the griddle
• 3 large ripe farmers-market tomatoes, cut into chunks
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro and dill
• 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Instructions

1. Build a campfire and let it burn down to an even bed of orange coals, then set a cast-iron griddle or large skillet over it to preheat. At home, use a heavy skillet over medium heat.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the yogurt, egg, baking soda and salt together until the mixture foams slightly. Add the flour a cup at a time, mixing until a soft, slightly tacky dough forms.
3. Turn the dough onto a floured board and knead for 3 to 4 minutes, until smooth. Cover with a towel and rest 20 minutes while the fire settles.
4. Toss the mozzarella and feta together in a bowl. Divide the dough into four pieces and pat each into a 7-inch round.
5. Mound a quarter of the cheese in the center of each round, then gather the edges up over the filling and pinch tightly to seal. Flatten gently with your palm, then roll out to a 8-inch disc, keeping the seam side down.
6. Butter the hot griddle and cook one khachapuri at a time, seam side down, for 4 to 5 minutes, until deeply spotted. Flip, butter the top, and cook another 4 minutes until the cheese is molten and the bread puffs.
7. While the breads cook, toss the tomatoes, red onion, herbs, sunflower oil and vinegar with a good pinch of salt. Let the salad sit so the juices pool.
8. Cut each khachapuri into wedges, brush with any remaining butter, and serve hot with the tomato salad spooned alongside so the juices soak into the crust.
9. Khachapuri is Georgia's national comfort food, and though the famous boat-shaped Adjarian version gets the attention, this flat, pan-cooked style from Imereti is the everyday one — quick enough to make on a mountain hearth with yogurt dough and whatever fresh cheese is on hand. Cooking it over open coals is closer to its origins than any oven, and paired with a late-August tomato salad drenched in its own juice, it makes the kind of camp breakfast people talk about for the rest of the trip.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 620 kcal
• Protein: 26g
• Fat: 29g
• Carbohydrates: 62g
• Fiber: 4g
• Sugar: 6g
• Sodium: 980mg