Armenian Gata

Warm the milk until just lukewarm, mix it with the melted butter for the dough, and let the mixture cool to room temperature.

Beat the eggs with the sugar for the dough and the dry yeast, pour in the milk-butter mixture, then gradually add the flour for the dough and the salt. Knead a soft, elastic dough by hand or with a dough hook for 10–15 minutes.

Cover the bowl and let the dough rest in a warm place for 90 minutes, until roughly doubled in size.

For the khoriz, combine the flour for the filling, the sugar for the filling, the melted butter for the filling, the ground cinnamon, and the chopped walnuts into a thick, crumbly paste.

Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Roll each one out into a circle about 3–4 mm thick. Spread the khoriz evenly over two of the circles, cover with the remaining circles, pinch the edges together and tuck them under. Gently roll out each gata to a circle about 23 cm in diameter.

Transfer the gatas onto a baking sheet lined with parchment. Whisk the egg yolk with water, brush it over the surface, then use a fork to mark the traditional diamond pattern and prick the dough in a few places.

Bake in an oven preheated to 180°C for 35–40 minutes, until the gata turns golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool before slicing.