Sprinkle yeast and 1/2 teaspoon sugar over milk in small shallow bowl.
Cover with plastic wrap and place in warm place until yeast blooms and
mixture nearly doubles in vol- ume, 5 to 10 minutes. Combine 4 1/2
cups flour, 1 tablespoon sugar and salt in large mixing bowl. Make
well in flour mixture and add milk-yeast mixture and softened butter.
Beat vigorously with large spoon until smooth.Form into ball and
place on lightly floured surface.Knead hard 10 minutes, adding more
flour or water as needed to create medium stiff dough. When dough is
smooth and elastic, place in large, lightly buttered bowl. Cover with
plastic wrap and kitchen towel and let rise in warm, draft-free
place, such as unlit oven with pilot light on, until doubled in bulk
and dough springs back slowly when gently poked with finger, 45
minutes to 1 hour. Punch dough down and let rise until again doubled,
30 to 40 minutes. Punch dough down and roll out on lightly floured
surface into circle about 22 inches in diameter. If rolling surface
is too small, divide dough in half and roll into 2 half-circles 22 by
11 inches. Roll dough up on rolling pin and unroll carefully over
buttered 9-inch cake or springform pan or springform so that it is
centered, with edges overlapping more or less evenly on all sides. If
using 2 half circles of dough, form 1-inch seam to make whole circle
and moisten thoroughly to seal. Carefully press center of dough down
to bottom of pan. Place cheese filling on dough and bring up edges of
dough over filling, forming thick, fabriclike folds. Moisten edges at
top and seal. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees in
center of oven, on foil in case filling leaks, until golden brown, 50
minutes to 1 hour. Cool 1 to 2 hours before serving. Makes 12 to 16
servings.
Cheese Filling In large mixing bowl, combine cheese,
butter, and egg. Knead vigorously until mixture is uniform. Shape into
thick, round cake 8 to 7 1/2 inches in diameter.
