Ossetian Pie (Ualibakh)

Ingredients

• 500g (about 4 cups) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 packet (7g) instant yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 300ml warm water or warm kefir
• 2 tbsp neutral oil, plus more for the bowl
• 600g Ossetian-style cheese, or a substitute blend of farmer's cheese, crumbled feta, and grated mozzarella
• Pinch of salt for the filling, if using an unsalted cheese blend
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted, for brushing

Before you cook

• Stir the yeast and sugar into a splash of the warm water in a large bowl and let it sit for 5 minutes until foamy on top.
• Add the rest of the warm water, the oil, and the salt to the bowl.
• Add the flour and stir until a shaggy dough forms.
• Turn the dough onto a floured counter and knead for about 8 minutes until smooth, soft, and slightly tacky.
• Shape the dough into a ball, place it in an oiled bowl, cover with a towel, and set it in a warm spot to rise for 1 hour, until doubled in size.
• Crumble the cheese into a bowl and mash it with a fork until it forms an even, spreadable, slightly lumpy paste, seasoning with a pinch of salt if the cheese is mild.
• Once the dough has doubled, punch it down and divide it into 3 equal pieces, then divide the cheese filling into 3 equal portions.
• Preheat the oven as hot as it will go, ideally 250°C/480°F, with a baking sheet inside to heat up.

Steps

1. Flatten one piece of dough into a disc with your hands and place a portion of the cheese filling in the center.
2. Gather the edges of the dough up and over the cheese, pinching them together at the top to fully seal in the filling.
3. Turn the sealed dough ball seam-side down and gently press it flat with your palms.
4. Using your fingertips, carefully stretch and flatten the ball outward from the center into a round about 30cm across and roughly 1cm thick, working gently so the cheese doesn't tear through the dough.
5. Poke a small hole in the very center of the round to let steam escape as it bakes.
6. Carefully transfer the round onto the hot baking sheet.
7. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the top is golden brown in spots and the dough is cooked through.
8. As soon as the pie comes out of the oven, brush it generously all over with melted butter.
9. Repeat the shaping, baking, and buttering with the remaining two dough pieces and cheese portions.
10. Stack the three finished pies on top of each other on a large plate and cut through all three into wedges to serve.