Armenian Gata

Ingredients

• 450 g plain flour for the dough
• 200 g cold butter, diced
• 150 ml sour cream
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp fast-action dried yeast
• 1 tbsp warm milk
• 1/2 tsp salt for the dough
• 200 g plain flour for the khoriz
• 150 g butter, softened
• 180 g caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt for the khoriz
• 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tsp milk, for glazing

Before you cook

• Dice the cold butter and keep it in the fridge until the moment you need it.
• Leave the 150 g of butter out to soften for the filling.
• Stir the yeast into the tablespoon of warm milk and leave it for 5 minutes.
• Line a large baking tray with paper.

Steps

1. Rub the cold butter into the 450 g of flour with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
2. Beat the sour cream with the whole egg, the yeasted milk and the salt.
3. Pour the wet mixture into the crumbs and bring it together into a soft dough without overworking it.
4. Wrap the dough and rest it in the fridge for 45 minutes.
5. Beat the softened butter with the sugar, vanilla and salt until pale.
6. Work the 200 g of flour into that butter with your fingers until the khoriz is sandy and clumps when you squeeze it.
7. Heat the oven to 180C.
8. Divide the dough in two and roll each half into a rectangle about 30 by 25 cm.
9. Spread half the khoriz over one rectangle, leaving a 2 cm border bare.
10. Roll the rectangle up tightly from the long side and pinch the seam shut.
11. Flatten the roll with a rolling pin into a strip about 8 cm wide.
12. Score the surface in a diamond lattice with the back of a knife, cutting only the top layer of dough.
13. Brush the strip all over with the egg yolk glaze.
14. Fill, roll, flatten and score the second half in the same way.
15. Cut both strips into thick diamonds and lift them onto the lined tray.
16. Bake for 30 minutes, until the tops are glossy and deep gold.
17. Cool the gata on a rack for 20 minutes before eating, so the filling sets rather than running.