Giant Azerbaijani "Burrata" Pie with Spicy Tomato Injected Sulguni

This spectacular rustic feast features a wood-fired cheese flatbread topped with hand-stretched Sulguni pouches injected with a savory, spiced tomato-pepper reduction.

Servings 6-8 persons Difficulty Hard baking butter cheese dairy pies vegetables 4 hours

Products used in this recipe

Important Disclaimer: The original video shows large-scale traditional cooking without precise measurements. The quantities below are estimations adapted for a smaller, home-friendly batch and might need adjustment. They are inspired by the video but are not exact conversions. Feel free to adjust ingredients like sugar or ghee to your personal preference.

Ingredients

📌 Ingredients for Giant Azerbaijani "Burrata" Pie You Can Make Yourself:* 🍞 1 kg all-purpose wheat flour
* 🍞 15 g white sugar
* 🍞 10 g active dry yeast
* 🥛 10 l full-fat cow's milk (unhomogenized is best for fresh Sulguni)
* 🥛 1/2 tsp liquid rennet (diluted in 50ml cool water)
* 🥛 250 g shredded mozzarella or aged Sulguni
* 🥛 100 g unsalted butter (or Ghee)
* 🍅 600 g ripe tomatoes
* 🧅 2 red onions
* 🧄 3 cloves garlic
* 🌶️ 2 red bell peppers
* 🌶️ 1 fresh chili pepper
* 🌿 50 g fresh cilantro
* 🌿 30 g fresh parsley
* 🧂 25 g salt (for the cheese water)
* 🧂 5 g ground coriander
* 🧂 5 g turmeric
* 💧 600 ml warm water

Instructions

👩🏻‍🍳 Preparation Steps for Giant Azerbaijani "Burrata" Pie:

1. Prepare the fresh cheese base: Heat the milk in a large pot to 35°C. Stir in the diluted rennet. Cover and let sit for 45–60 minutes until a firm, jelly-like curd forms. Cut the curd into small cubes, let them settle for 10 minutes, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Let the curd drain for 15 minutes until it is a firm mass.
2. Create the "Burrata" style pouches: Slice the drained curd into strips. Prepare a bowl of hot water (75°C) with salt. Submerge the strips and use wooden spoons to knead and stretch the cheese underwater until it becomes glossy and highly elastic. Form one large central pouch and 8–10 smaller spheres by tucking the edges under. Place them in cool water to hold their shape.
3. Prepare the savory filling: Roast the bell peppers and chili over a flame until charred, then peel and finely dice. Sauté finely diced red onions and garlic in butter until golden and soft.
4. Simmer the "Lava": Blanch, peel, and crush the tomatoes. Add them to the onion mixture along with salt, sugar, coriander, and turmeric. Simmer for 30–40 minutes until nearly all liquid has evaporated and a very thick paste forms. Stir in finely chopped cilantro and parsley. Crucial: Let this sauce cool completely and pulse in a blender if it is too chunky for a syringe.
5. For the dough: Combine flour, yeast, sugar, and a pinch of salt. Slowly add warm water and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover and ferment in a warm area for 90 minutes or until doubled in size.
6. Form the base: Roll the dough into a massive circular flatbread (approx. 45 cm). Place on a large baking sheet or pizza stone. Prick the entire surface heavily with a fork to prevent large bubbles from forming during the bake.
7. Apply toppings: Spread a thin layer of the tomato-pepper sauce over the dough, leaving a 2 cm border. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella or aged Sulguni evenly over the sauce.
8. Inject the pouches: Using a culinary syringe, draw up the cooled tomato-pepper sauce. Carefully insert the needle into the "seam" of each cheese pouch and inject the filling until the pouch is plump.
9. Assemble the pie: Carefully place the large "Burrata" pouch in the center of the pie and arrange the smaller pouches in a radial pattern around it.
10. Bake and Serve: Bake in a very hot oven preheated to 250°C for 12–15 minutes. The crust should be charred and the cheese pouches should be soft and glistening. Serve immediately; when cut, the warm tomato "lava" will flow out to be enjoyed with the crust.