Khachapuri

Georgia's famous cheese bread, a soft dough filled with melted tangy cheese. The boat-shaped version is topped with a runny egg and a pat of butter that you stir into the cheese.

Khachapuri

Old Tbilisi, Georgian khachapuri, Georgia: Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Where it comes from

Khachapuri is a national favorite of Georgia, and every region has its own shape: round, folded, or the boat from Adjara on the Black Sea. It is eaten at any time of day and shared among friends.

Explore the cuisine of Georgia.

Recipe

Make Khachapuri at home

Serves 4Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 packet (2 1/4 tsp) instant yeast
  • 1 tsp sugar and 1 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup warm milk
  • 1/4 cup plain yogurt
  • 2 tbsp melted butter
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella
  • 1 cup crumbled feta
  • 2 eggs, one for the filling
  • 2 egg yolks for the topping
  • 2 tbsp butter to finish

How it's made

  1. Mix flour, yeast, sugar, salt, milk, yogurt and melted butter into a soft dough; knead for 8 minutes and let it rise for 1 hour.
  2. Mix the cheeses with 1 egg.
  3. Divide the dough into 4 balls and roll each into an oval.
  4. Spread the cheese filling down the center and roll up the long sides to make a boat, pinching the ends.
  5. Brush the edges with egg and bake at 450F for 15 minutes.
  6. Make a well in the cheese, add a yolk to each boat and bake 3 more minutes.
  7. Top with butter and stir the yolk into the cheese at the table.
  8. Tear off the crust and dip it in.

Variations

  • Imeruli khachapuri: A round, closed cheese bread.
  • Megruli khachapuri: Has extra cheese on top.
  • Penovani: A flaky puff pastry version.

Cook’s tip: Mix mozzarella with a salty cheese such as feta to get both stretch and tang.

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About this page

Description and method written by Intercontinental Chef. Home-style method; quantities are a starting point, so adjust to taste.

Photo credit
  • Old Tbilisi, Georgian khachapuri, Georgia: Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)