Khachapuri

Wotchers!

Bread and cheese is a classic pairing. With these two ingredients, you know you’re in for something tasty, and khachapuri, the cheese-stuffed Georgian breads, are a fine example of the very best dough-based snacking/carbohydrate comas that these ingredients can offer.

That said, there’s also a great deal more to khachapuri than just bread and cheese, and after years of gathering both recipes and information, I’d like to present a modest collection of just ten of the wonderful variety of dishes available under the khachapuri umbrella.

Khachapuri Dough

Whilst the regional differences of this dish can be quite startling, for the most part a great number of them can begin with one batch of dough. Whilst I have tried several over the years, this one is my favourite for the delicious softness and pillowy-lightness of the end result. To a certain extent, it is rather vague, as the flour quantity might well vary, depending on the moisture content of the other ingredients. For best results, allow the dough to mature in the fridge for 2-3 days, but you can also use it after only one night if you’re impatient

1 litre plain, fat-free yogurt
50g butter
40g fresh yeast
1tsp bicarbonate of soda
1tbs sugar
1tsp salt

Strong white flour to mix

• Put the first six ingredients into a large bowl and mix to combine.
• Gradually sprinkle in the flour until the whole comes together into a soft dough.
• Knead thoroughly, until the dough is smooth.
• Cover the bowl with plastic film and a clean cloth and allow to rise for 1 hour.
• Tip out the risen dough and knock back.
• Transfer to a suitable container, cover and chill in the fridge for up to 3 days, or until required.

Cheese filling

As previously mentioned, a great number of regional khachapuri can be formed from the one dough. A number also feature a mixture of local soft Imeruli and Sulguni cheeses. If you have no access to these cheeses, you can make your own mixture from those you do have to hand. A popular pairing that provides both the tang and melting qualities of the original is equal proportions of crumbled feta and grated/diced mozzarella. My own preference is for equal quantities of feta and Taleggio or Reblochon. The quantities required are, of course, dependant on the size and quantity of khachapuri you are making, but a generous 100-200g of cheese per 100g of dough is a very workable guideline.

Imeretian/Imeruli

From the central Georgian region of Imereti, the Imeruli khachapuri is a circular loaf with a cheese filling, and is the most common form of khachapuri.

For 1 Imeruli khachapuri:

100g risen and chilled khachapuri dough
100-200g grated cheese mixture
a little beaten egg (optional)
20g cube butter for glazing

• Preheat the oven to 200°C, 180°C Fan.
• Put the dough onto a flour-covered surface and using your fingers, press out into a 20cm diameter circle.
• Pile the cheese mixture into the middle of the dough. You can use a little beaten egg to bind it together if liked.
• Fold the edges towards the middle and gather them together, pinching them closed. Try not to trap any air inside as it will cause bubbles during the cooking.
• When the dough is sealed around the filling, turn the dough over so that the seal is underneath.
• Using the hands, gently press the dough out to a circle of about 20cm, taking care not to rip or tear the dough.
• Transfer to a lined baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes until the dough is cooked and speckled with brown.
• Stick a fork into the cube of butter and use it to rub the butter all over the surface of the cooked bread to glaze.
• Cut into wedges and serve.

Mingrelian/Megruli:

As above but with an additional 50g of cheese sprinkled on top before baking.

Adjarian/Acharuli/Adjaruli:

In the south-west corner of Georgia, Adjaria lies on the coast of the Black Sea and has close geographical and cultural ties with Turkey. The Adjarian khachapuri is boat-shaped, and filled with cheese. Towards the end of cooking, an egg is cracked onto the bubbling cheese and the loaf returned to the oven until the egg white is cooked and the yolk warmed but runny. A  pat of butter is added just before serving.

For 1 Adjaruli khachapuri:

100g risen and chilled khachapuri dough
100-200g grated cheese mixture
1 large egg
20g cube of butter
additional butter for glazing

• Preheat the oven to 200°C, 180°C Fan.
• Put the dough onto a flour-covered surface and roll out to a rectangle 30cm x 15cm.
• To form the sides of the boat, starting at one end, roll the dough towards the middle. Repeat for the other side, so that the dough then resembles a scroll.
• For each end, cross one end over the other and pinch the edges together firmly.
• When both ends have been pinched together, hold the dough at each end and push towards each other gently: this will force the rolls apart and thus form the boat shape.
• Add the cheese into the boat and transfer to a lined baking sheet.
• Bake for 15 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and stir the cheese filling. If liked, you can use the tines of a fork to scoop out any underdone dough from underneath the thick sides before cracking the egg onto the hot filling.
• Return the khachapuri to the oven until the egg is cooked to your liking.
• Glaze the edges of the pie with butter, add the cube of butter and serve.
• You can tear off pieces of the edge to dip into the middle.

Ossetian/Osuri:

Ossetia straddles the border between Georgia and Russia, with Northern Ossetia under Russian control, and South Ossetia lying within Georgia’s borders. The Osuri khachapuri is circular, with a filling of potato and cheese.

For 1 Osuri khachapuri:

100g risen and chilled khachapuri dough
100g mashed potatoes
25g butter
125g grated cheese mixture
salt and pepper to taste
20g cube of butter for glazing

• Preheat the oven to 200°C, 180°C Fan.
• Mash the potatoes while hot and stir in the butter. Mix in the cheese and set aside.
• Put the dough onto a flour-covered surface and using your fingers, press out into a 20cm diameter circle.
• Pile the cheese and potato mixture into the middle of the dough.
• Fold the edges towards the middle and gather them together, pinching them closed. Try not to trap any air inside as it will cause bubbles during the cooking.
• When the dough is sealed around the filling, turn the dough over so that the seal is underneath.
• Using the hands, gently press the dough out to a circle of about 20cm, taking care not to rip or tear the dough.
• Transfer to a lined baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes until the dough is cooked and speckled with brown.
• Stick a fork into the cube of butter and use it to rub the butter all over the surface of the cooked bread to glaze.
• Cut into wedges and serve.

Kartopiliani:

These pies contain no cheese, being filled instead with a savoury mixture of mashed potato, fresh dill and onion.

For 1 kartopiliani khachapuri:

100g risen and chilled khachapuri dough
150g mashed potatoes
1tbs butter
chopped fresh dill to taste (optional)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2tbs cooking oil
salt and pepper to taste
20g cube of butter for glazing

• Preheat the oven to 200°C, 180°C Fan.
• Mash the potatoes while hot and stir in the butter. Mix in the dill, if using, and set aside.
• Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onions until browned. Add onions to the potato mixture and stir to combine.
• Put the dough onto a flour-covered surface and using your fingers, press out into a 20cm diameter circle.
• Pile the potato mixture into the middle of the dough.
• Fold the edges of the dough towards the middle and gather them together, pinching them closed. Try not to trap any air inside as it will cause bubbles during the cooking.
• When the dough is sealed around the filling, turn the dough over so that the seal is underneath.
• Using the hands, gently press the dough out to a circle of about 20cm, taking care not to rip or tear the dough.
• Transfer to a lined baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes until the dough is cooked and speckled with brown.
• Stick a fork into the cube of butter and use it to rub the butter all over the surface of the cooked bread to glaze.
• Cut into wedges and serve.

Gurian/Guruli khachapuri:

Guria is a province in the west of Georgia, on the shores of the Black Sea. To the south is Adjaria, and Imereti lies to the north. The Gurian khachapuri also rejoices in the name of Christmas Pie and, unusually, is crescent-shaped. Baked as part of the celebrations during the midwinter feast, they are filled with cheese and hard-boiled eggs, the shape supposedly resembling the crescent moon or a hunter’s billhook.

For 1 Gurian khachapuri:

100g risen and chilled khachapuri dough
100-200g grated cheese mixture
a little beaten egg (optional)
1 hard-boiled egg
20g cube butter for glazing

• Preheat the oven to 200°C, 180°C Fan.
• Put the dough onto a flour-covered surface and using your fingers, press out into a 20cm diameter circle.
• Pile the cheese mixture onto one half of the dough. You can use a little beaten egg to bind it together if liked.
• Cut the boiled egg in half lengthways and lay, cut side down, on top of the cheese.
• Fold the edge of the dough over the filling and pinch the edges together. Mould the filled dough into a more crescent shape if liked. Try not to trap any air inside as it will cause bubbles during the cooking.
• Transfer to a lined baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes until the dough is cooked and speckled with brown.
• Stick a fork into the cube of butter and use it to rub the butter all over the surface of the cooked bread to glaze.
• Serve warm.

Ossetian

These circular breads are popular in South Ossetia. If you can’t get any beetroot leaves, you can substitute with Swiss Chard, kale, or spinach.

100g risen and chilled khachapuri dough
The leaves from 4-5 beetroot
100g cheese mixture
salt and pepper to taste
20g cube of butter for glazing

• Preheat the oven to 200°C, 180°C Fan.
• Bring a pan of water to the boil and drop in the beetroot leaves.
• Allow the leaves to simmer for 3 minutes, then drain.
• Repeat the blanching, then drop the drained leaves into a bowl of cold water to refresh.
• When cooled, dry the leaves on kitchen paper and cut away the fibrous stalks. Chop the leaves finely before mixing them with the cheese.
• Season to taste.
• Put the dough onto a flour-covered surface and using your fingers, press out into a 20cm diameter circle.
• Pile the cheese mixture into the middle of the dough.
• Fold the edges of the dough towards the middle and gather them together, pinching them closed. Try not to trap any air inside as it will cause bubbles during the cooking.
• When the dough is sealed around the filling, turn the dough over so that the seal is underneath.
• Using the hands, gently press the dough out to a circle of about 20cm, taking care not to rip or tear the dough.
• Transfer to a lined baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes until the dough is cooked and speckled with brown.
• Stick a fork into the cube of butter and use it to rub the butter all over the surface of the cooked bread to glaze.
• Cut into wedges and serve.

Lobiani Khachapuri:

Lobio is Georgian for kidney bean and lobiani is a seasoned, savoury paste makes a very popular khachapuri filling. Obviously, home-cooked beans will taste the best, but if you’re only making one khachapuri, then you can use ready-cooked, tinned beans. The recipe for cooking your own lobio is given below, and includes bacon, but this version is vegetarian.

For 1 Lobiani khachapuri:

100g risen and chilled khachapuri dough
1 x 400g tin of kidney beans
1tbs butter
chopped fresh savory to taste (optional)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2tbs cooking oil
salt and pepper to taste
20g cube of butter for glazing

• Preheat the oven to 200°C, 180°C Fan.
• Tip the beans into a pan and slowly bring them to a simmer to warm them though.
• Drain the beans and mash thoroughly with the butter and savoury.
• Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onions until browned. Add onions to the bean mixture and stir to combine. Season generously with salt and pepper.
• Put the dough onto a flour-covered surface and using your fingers, press out into a 20cm diameter circle.
• Pile the bean mixture into the middle of the dough.
• Fold the edges of the dough towards the middle and gather them together, pinching them closed. Try not to trap any air inside as it will cause bubbles during the cooking.
• When the dough is sealed around the filling, turn the dough over so that the seal is underneath.
• Using the hands, gently press the dough out to a circle of about 20cm, taking care not to rip or tear the dough.
• Transfer to a lined baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes until the dough is cooked and speckled with brown.
• Stick a fork into the cube of butter and use it to rub the butter all over the surface of the cooked bread to glaze.
• Cut into wedges and serve.

Rachuli khachapuri:

Similar to Lobiani, but with the addition of meat in both the cooking of the beans, and the filling itself. The method is the same as above, so the recipe here is for cooking and flavouring the beans yourself. This makes a generous quantity, but the mixture can be frozen if it is not being used all at once.

For the seasoned bean filling:

500g dried kidney beans
250g smoked gammon or bacon
4 bay leaves
2 cloves of garlic
50g unsalted butter

• Soak the beans overnight.
• Drain, add the beans, meat, bay leaves and garlic to a pan and add enough cold water to cover.
• Bring the pan to a boil for 15 minutes. This is important in order to destroy the toxin present in the dried beans.
• Cover and simmer until the beans are thoroughly cooked through. This will vary according to the age of the beans: about an hour for relatively fresh beans, longer for older.
• When the beans are tender, drain and discard the cooking water, garlic and bay leaves.
• Set the meat aside and mash the hot beans with the butter.
• Chop the meat into fine dice and stir into the bean paste.
• Season and proceed as above.

Penovani khachapuri:

The Penovani khachapuri is the easiest, simplest and speediest of all the regional variations. Together with the cheese mix of your choice, all that is required is some puff pastry and a little egg.

1 square of puff pastry
100-200g cheese mixture
beaten egg to bind and for glazing

• Preheat the oven to 220°C, 200°C Fan.
• Lay the square of puff pastry on a floured surface.
• Pile the cheese mixture into the middle. You can use a little beaten egg to bind if liked.
• Fold the corners of the pastry towards the middle and pinch the edges together to seal, envelope-style.
• Brush with beaten egg to glaze, then bake for 20-25 minutes, depending on the size, until the pastry is puffed and golden and the filling melted.
• Serve at once.