VeganMoFo IV: Just One of Them Days

Today was crazy weird.  I switched back and forth between three different things to blog about.  I finally settled for another edition of Eating Around the World!  Today's entry is brought to you by the country of Georgia.  I made a dish known as khachapuri, which is this cheese bread appetizer thingy.  It was ZOMG amazing!  I mean, have we met?  I'm totally in love with all things vegan cheese related.  Never got into cheese as an omni.  So here we go...

Apparently, khachapuri comes in different shapes and there are many different techniques.  Some are rounds stuffed with cheese.  Others take the stuffed rounds and top that with more cheese.  Still, others add potatoes!  The cutest one of all is the boat-shaped khachapuri!  They aren't extremely hard to shape, but I definitely need practice.

I really should have zoomed in on the cheesy greatness

Traditionally, this version has a cracked egg on top and is served with butter.  I used a small pat of Earth Balance, but I don't think it was entirely necessary because this was balls-to-the-wall greatness on its own!  I served it with a salad because of my extreme sugar crash from yesterday's Pop-Tart extraVEGANza.  Yeah, I did just write that.  I used plums and walnuts because that seemed to be a common theme in many of the Georgian dishes I saw.

So...a recipe?  This isn't a recipe exactly.  It's more of a crazy marriage of two books.  So, here's the idea.

Vegan Khachapuri
8 servings (or 4 if you are super hungry)
Deep Dish Pizza Dough from 500 Vegan Recipes*
Cashew Ricotta from Veganomicon, omit the basil and add 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
mozzarella Daiya or your favorite melty vegan cheese
pat of vegan margarine (optional)

Make the pizza dough according to directions.  After the first rise, preheat the oven to 450 degrees, and divide the dough into four balls.  Place one of the balls on a floured surface, covering the rest until use.  Now roll out the dough into a long oval shape.  Place on a greased cookie sheet and repeat with a second piece of dough.  Cover the rolled out dough and let it rest.

While the dough rested, I made the cashew ricotta.  Easy peasy, just throw in some fresh cilantro.

When the oven is ready, spread about 1/4 cup onto each of the rolled out pieces of dough.  Make sure to leave about a 1/2 inch border.  Now roll the sides of the dough in toward the filling, creating a barrier.  For the top and bottom, crimp the edges like the front and back end of a boat.  Sprinkle with Daiya.

Place in oven and bake on bottom rack for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.  Roll out the remaining two pieces of dough and let them rest while the others are baking.  Repeat the same filling process with the final two as you did with the first ones.

To serve, top with butter...or not.  Enjoy!

Tomorrow, I have a very nerdy dinner and a movie MoFo theme planned.  I attempted to have it ready today, but I consider my first attempt a fail for a few reasons.  So, here's a hint of what to expect tomorrow.  Well, it's a picture of the failed version anyway. :)

* Make sure if you are making bread from 500 Vegan Recipes to use the sprinkle and scrape flour method instead of the scoop and scrape.