Khachapuri recipe georgian

Khachapuri with cheese (Megrelian) on beautiful old wooden table.

Khachapuri: The Big Georgian Cheese!

Published: October 3, 2022

Khachapuri (ะฅะฐั‡ะฐะฟัƒั€ะธ) is one of the most beloved of the Georgian foods adopted into the Russian tradition. That is a major achievement, as Georgian cuisine is itself one of the most beloved of all those among the former Soviet peoples. It is enjoyed in Russia, throughout the former Soviet space, and around the world. The dish itself is simple, hearty, can travel well in some forms, and is mouthwateringly delicious. So, what is it? Cheesy bread!

How It Got Its Name

(ะŸะพั‡ะตะผัƒ ะฝะพัะธั‚ ั‚ะฐะบะพะต ะฝะฐะทะฒะฐะฝะธะต?)

By Jordan Bryant

The name โ€œkhachapuriโ€ comes from the Georgian names for curd cheese (ั…ะฐั‡ะพ) and bread (ะฟัƒั€ะธ). One note that we should probably make here is that Georgian does not use the Cyrillic alphabet officially. So, we are providing the words here in Cyrillic for the benefit of students of Russian. However, โ€œkhachapuriโ€ written in Georgiaโ€™s own unique alphabet would actually look like this: แƒฎแƒแƒญแƒแƒžแƒฃแƒ แƒ˜.

There are many different regional variations of khachapuri, and each is generally named for the region and/or people who are best known for making it. The most common types of khachapuri available in Russia are: โ€œั…ะฐั‡ะฐะฟัƒั€ะธ ะฟะพ-ะธะผะตั€ะตั‚ะธะฝัะบะธโ€ (Imeretian khachapuri); โ€œั…ะฐั‡ะฐะฟัƒั€ะธ ะฟะพ-ะฐะดะถะฐั€ัะบะธโ€ (Adjarian khachapuri); โ€œั…ะฐั‡ะฐะฟัƒั€ะธ ะฟะพ-ะผะตะณั€ะตะปัŒัะบะธโ€ (Mingrelian katchapori) and โ€œั…ะฐั‡ะฐะฟัƒั€ะธ ะฟะพ-ะฐั€ะผัะฝัะบะธโ€ (Armenian khachapuri).

khatchapuri recipe history culture origin
ะฅะปะตะฑะพะทะฐะฒะพะด ยซะ‘ะพั€ะพะดะธะฝะพ-2006ยป โ€“ ะปะธัˆัŒ ะพะดะธะฝ ะธะท ะฟั€ะพะธะทะฒะพะดะธั‚ะตะปะตะน ะทะฐะผะพั€ะพะถะตะฝะฝั‹ั… ั…ะฐั‡ะฐะฟัƒั€ะธ, ะฟั€ะพะดะฐะฒะฐะตะผั‹ั… ะฒ ั€ะพััะธะนัะบะธั… ะผะฐะณะฐะทะธะฝะฐั….

Imeretian khachapuri is named for the Kingdom of Imeriti, one of several great kingdoms that once made up Georgiaโ€™s shifting medieval political landscape. This version presupposes a circular dough stuffed with cheese, oil and/or butter and pan-fried.

Mingrelian katchapori is named for Megrelia, along Georgiaโ€™s Black Sea coast. They put cheese inside and on top of what otherwise looks much like Imeretian khachapuri.

Adjarian khachapuri is named for Adjara, an autonomous republic in Georgia. Its dough is folded into a boat shape with the cheese inside exposed. It is oven-baked and, as it comes out, a raw egg is dropped into the center of the cheese with a pat of butter. The heat from the cheese cooks the egg to a sunny-side-up consistency.

Armenian khachapuri is the variety most often found in Russian kiosks. This type is most associated with the Armenians, an ethnic group completely separate from the Georgians who have their own country and history. Their version of this dish has the cheese wrapped inside a puff pastry which is usually triangular or square in shape.

Also of interest is a close relative of khachapuri that hails from Racha, a former kingdom in the North of Georgia whose main city is said to have been founded in the 2nd century. This great and ancient kingdom altered khachapuri by replacing the cheese filling with a mixture of beans, back fat, and bacon. The resulting dish is usually called โ€œะปะพะฑะธะฐะฝะธโ€ which comes from the Georgian word for โ€œbean.โ€

When and How to Eat Khachapuri

(ะšะฐะบ ะฟั€ะฐะฒะธะปัŒะฝะพ ะตัั‚ัŒ ั…ะฐั‡ะฐะฟัƒั€ะธ?)

khatchapuri recipe history culture origin
As part of Policy and Conflict in the Post-Soviet Space, SRAS students learned to make khachapuri from scratch . Pictured is student Paula Hunter and her creation.

By Jordan Bryant

It is a good bet that the name of this wonderful dish is so simple because it is so very common. Khachapuri is a staple food in Georgia, and is, in fact, so often prepared that the fluctuating cost of making the dish is now being used as an inflation index in Tbilisi, Georgiaโ€™s capital. In Russia, the dish is also quite common, and requires no special occasion to be savored and cherished!

As with most breads, khachapuri is most often consumed by hand. It can be found as street food throughout the former USSR as well as in the Georgian restaurants that have flourished there. The dish can also be eaten with a knife and fork, as, depending upon who is cooking it and how fresh it is, the cheesy goodness inside tends to overflow its doughy boundaries.

Khachapuri goes incredibly well with red wine (another food that at which the Georgians excel in producing) and can often constitute a meal in itself.

How to Prepare Khachapuri

(ะšะฐะบ ะฟั€ะฐะฒะธะปัŒะฝะพ ะณะพั‚ะพะฒะธั‚ัŒ ั…ะฐั‡ะฐะฟัƒั€ะธ?)

By Jordan Bryant

It is impossible to point to any one correct way of preparing khachapuri, namely because the variations on the recipe are endless. There are, however, some basic points of interest that are worth mentioning. There are two foundational methods of preparation: on the stove top with a pan or in an oven. The pan method is recommended for those preparing khachapuri that makes use of fermented milk products (traditionally matzoon (ะผะฐั†ะพะฝะธ) โ€“ a Caucasian fermented milk product resembling kefir) as a leavening agent. If making khachapuri with yeast, or, as has become popular in recent times, making a puff pastry variant, it is recommended to bake the dish in an oven.

There is some disagreement as to which cheeses should be used in the filling. There are traditional cheeses such as the Georgian โ€œััƒะปัƒะณัƒะฝะธโ€ (Suluguni) and โ€œะธะผะตั€ะตั‚ะธะฝัะบะธะนโ€ (Imeretian). In modern times there is also increasing use of common foreign cheeses such as feta and mozzarella, especially for those preparing it outside of Georgia. It is widely agreed, however, that it is best to use a mixture of two or three cheeses in the interests of both taste and avoidance of clumping. There is also some dispute over whether one might add herbs such as parsley, dill, or cilantro to the cheese filling; many say it is strictly forbidden and ruins the taste, others think it a normal and tasty addition.

Letโ€™s Cook!

(ะ”ะฐะฒะฐะน ะŸั€ะธะณะพั‚ะพะฒะธะผ!)

By Jordan Bryant

See below for a free recipe for khachapuri. See also the free videos online. If you are interested in cooking from Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, and other places in Eurasia, make sure to see the many other recipes on this site. You might also be interested in the following specialized cookbooks weโ€™ve enjoyed:

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ะ˜ะผะตั€ะตั‚ะธะฝัะบะธะน ั…ะฐั‡ะฐะฟัƒั€ะธ Imeretian khachapuri
ะกะพัั‚ะฐะฒ
  • ะšะตั„ะธั€, ะผะฐั†ะพะฝะธ ะธะปะธ ะฟั€ะพัั‚ะพะบะฒะฐัˆะฐ โ€“ 0,5 ะปะธั‚ั€ะฐ
  • ัะนั†ะพ โ€“ 1 ัˆั‚
  • ัะพะปัŒ โ€“ 1 ั‡. ะปะพะถะบะฐ
  • ัะฐั…ะฐั€ โ€“ 1 ั‡. ะปะพะถะบะฐ
  • ั€ะฐะทั€ั‹ั…ะปะธั‚ะตะปัŒ โ€“ 1 ั‡. ะปะพะถะบะฐ
  • ั€ะฐัั‚ะธั‚ะตะปัŒะฝะพะต ะผะฐัะปะพ โ€“ 1-2 ัั‚. ะปะพะถะบะธ
  • ะผัƒะบะฐ โ€“ 4-5 ัั‚ะฐะบะฐะฝะพะฒ
  • ะฑั€ั‹ะฝะทะฐ, ััƒะปัƒะณัƒะฝะธ, ะธะผะตั€ั‚ะธะฝัะบะธะน ัั‹ั€ โ€“ 500 ะณ

ะŸั€ะธะณะพั‚ะพะฒะปะตะฝะธะต

  1. ะ˜ะผะตั€ั‚ะธะฝัะบะธะน ัั‹ั€ ะธะปะธ ะฑั€ั‹ะฝะทัƒ ะธะปะธ ััƒะปัƒะณัƒะฝะธ ะฝะฐั‚ะตั€ะตั‚ัŒ ะฝะฐ ะบั€ัƒะฟะฝะพะน ั‚ะตั€ะบะต. ะœัƒะบัƒ ะฟั€ะพัะตัั‚ัŒ ะธ ัะผะตัˆะฐั‚ัŒ ั ั€ะฐะทั€ั‹ั…ะปะธั‚ะตะปะตะผ. ะ’ ะผะธัะบัƒ ะฝะฐัั‹ะฟะฐั‚ัŒ ะฟั€ะพัะตัะฝะฝัƒัŽ ะผัƒะบัƒ, ัะดะตะปะฐั‚ัŒ ะฒ ัะตั€ะตะดะธะฝะต ัƒะณะปัƒะฑะปะตะฝะธะต ะธ ะฒะปะธั‚ัŒ ะฒ ะฝะตะณะพ ะบะตั„ะธั€ (ะธะปะธ ะผะฐั†ะพะฝะธ), ัะนั†ะพ, ัะพะปัŒ, ัะฐั…ะฐั€ ะธ ั€ะฐัั‚ะธั‚ะตะปัŒะฝะพะต ะผะฐัะปะพ. ะ—ะฐะผะตัะธั‚ัŒ ะฝะตะบั€ัƒั‚ะพะต ัะปะฐัั‚ะธั‡ะฝะพะต ั‚ะตัั‚ะพ ะธ ะฟะพัั‚ะฐะฒะธั‚ัŒ ะตะณะพ ะฝะฐ ั‡ะฐั ะฒ ั…ะพะปะพะดะธะปัŒะฝะธะบ.
  2. ะขะตัั‚ะพ ั€ะฐะทะดะตะปะธั‚ัŒ ะฝะฐ ะฝะตะฑะพะปัŒัˆะธะต ะบัƒัะพั‡ะบะธ ะธ ะบะฐะถะดั‹ะน ะบัƒัะพั‡ะตะบ ั€ะฐัะบะฐั‚ะฐั‚ัŒ ะฒ ั‚ะพะฝะบะธะน ะบั€ัƒะณะปั‹ะน ะฟะปะฐัั‚. ะะฐ ัะตั€ะตะดะธะฝัƒ ะปะตะฟะตัˆะบะธ ะฟะพะปะพะถะธั‚ัŒ ะฝะฐั‚ั‘ั€ั‚ั‹ะน ัั‹ั€ (ะฝะฐั‡ะธะฝะบะธ ะดะพะปะถะฝะพ ะฑั‹ั‚ัŒ ะผะฝะพะณะพ โ€“ 4-6 ัั‚ะพะปะพะฒั‹ั… ะปะพะถะตะบ ะฝะฐ ะพะดะธะฝ ั…ะฐั‡ะฐะฟัƒั€ะธ), ัะพะฑั€ะฐั‚ัŒ ะบั€ะฐั ะปะตะฟะตัˆะบะธ ะบ ั†ะตะฝั‚ั€ัƒ ะธ ั‚ั‰ะฐั‚ะตะปัŒะฝะพ ะทะฐั‰ะธะฟะฐั‚ัŒ (ะฝะฐั‡ะธะฝะบะฐ ะดะพะปะถะฝะฐ ะพะบะฐะทะฐั‚ัŒัั ะฒ ัะตั€ะตะดะธะฝะต ะปะตะฟะตัˆะบะธ).
  3. ะŸะตั€ะตะฒะตั€ะฝัƒั‚ัŒ ะปะตะฟะตัˆะบัƒ ะทะฐั‰ะธะฟะฐะฝะฝั‹ะผ ัˆะฒะพะผ ะฒะฝะธะท ะธ ะดะพัั‚ะฐั‚ะพั‡ะฝะพ ั‚ะพะฝะบะพ ั€ะฐัะบะฐั‚ะฐั‚ัŒ ัะบะฐะปะบะพะน.
  4. ะกะบะพะฒะพั€ะพะดัƒ ั€ะฐะทะพะณั€ะตั‚ัŒ, ัะผะฐะทะฐั‚ัŒ ั€ะฐัั‚ะธั‚ะตะปัŒะฝั‹ะผ ะผะฐัะปะพะผ ะธ ะถะฐั€ะธั‚ัŒ ั…ะฐั‡ะฐะฟัƒั€ะธ ะฝะฐ ัั€ะตะดะฝะตะผ ะพะณะฝะต ั ะดะฒัƒั… ัั‚ะพั€ะพะฝ ะดะพ ะณะพั‚ะพะฒะฝะพัั‚ะธ (ะตัะปะธ ั…ะฐั‡ะฐะฟัƒั€ะธ ะฟั€ะธ ะถะฐั€ะบะธ ะฒะทะดัƒะฒะฐัŽั‚ัั, ั‚ะพ ะฝัƒะถะฝะพ ะฟั€ะพะบะพะปะพั‚ัŒ ะฒะตั€ั… ะปะตะฟะตัˆะบะธ).
  5. ะ“ะพั‚ะพะฒั‹ะต ั…ะฐั‡ะฐะฟัƒั€ะธ ัะผะฐะทั‹ะฒะฐั‚ัŒ ัะปะธะฒะพั‡ะฝั‹ะผ ะผะฐัะปะพะผ ะธ ัะบะปะฐะดั‹ะฒะฐั‚ัŒ ัั‚ะพะฟะพั‡ะบะพะน, ะบะฐะบ ะฑะปะธะฝั‹.
  6. ะŸะพ ะถะตะปะฐะฝะธัŽ ะฒ ะฝะฐั‡ะธะฝะบัƒ ะผะพะถะฝะพ ะดะพะฑะฐะฒะธั‚ัŒ ะผะตะปะบะพ ะฟะพั€ะตะทะฐะฝะฝัƒัŽ ะทะตะปะตะฝัŒ ะฟะตั‚ั€ัƒัˆะบะธ ะธะปะธ ะบะธะฝะทั‹; ะตัะปะธ ะฑั€ั‹ะฝะทะฐ ัะปะธัˆะบะพะผ ัะพะปะตะฝะฐั, ั‚ะพ ะผะพะถะฝะพ ะฝะฐั‚ะตั€ะตั‚ัŒ ะปัŽะฑะพะน ั‚ะฒะตั€ะดั‹ะน ัั‹ั€ ะธ ัะผะตัˆะฐั‚ัŒ ะตะณะพ ั ะฑั€ั‹ะฝะทะพะน.
Ingredients
  • 0.5 L Kefir, matzoon, or clabber (soured milk)
  • 1 Egg
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1-2 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 4-5 cups flour
  • 500 grams brynza (a salty sheepโ€™s milk cheese), suluguni and/or Imeretian cheese*

Preparation

  1. Grate the Imeretian cheese, brynza, or suluguni on a large grater. Sift the flour and mix it with the baking powder. Pour the sifted flour into a mixing bowl, make a depression in the middle. Pour the kefir (or matzoon or clabber), egg, salt, sugar and vegetable oil into the depression. Knead this mixture into a stretchy dough and place it in the refrigerator for an hour.
  2. Divide the dough into fairly small pieces and roll each piece into a thin, round bed. In the middle of the dough-cake place the grated cheese (there has to be a lot of filling โ€“ 4-6 tablespoons to one khachapuri), gather the edges of the dough-cake to the center and thoroughly pinch them together (the filling must be in the middle of the dough-cake).
  3. Turn the dough-cake so that the pinched seam faces downwards and with a rolling pin roll it out until fairly thin.
  4. Warm your pan, grease it with vegetable oil and fry the khachapuri over medium heat on both sides until done (if the khachapuri swells up during cooking, then you must pierce the top of the dough-cake).
  5. Coat the prepared khachapuri with butter and pile up in a stack, like you would bliny.
  6. If you wish, you may add finely chopped parsley or cilantro to the filling; if brynza is too salty, you may use any hard cheese or mix it with the brynza.

โ€“โ€“โ€“

*Georgian recipes usually use the traditionally Georgian cheeses brynza, suluguni, and/or Imeretian. Feta and mozzarella can be substituted when these are not available.

ะ›ะตะฟะตัˆะบะธ โ€œะ›ะพะฑะธะฐะฝะธโ€ (ั€ะฐั‡ะฐ) Lobiani Flat Bread
ะ˜ะฝะณั€ะตะดะธะตะฝั‚ั‹
  • ะœะฐั†ะพะฝะธ โ€“ 500 ะณ
  • ะœะพะปะพะบะพ โ€“ 1 ัั‚.
  • ะฏะนั†ะพโ€“ 1 ัˆั‚.
  • ะœะฐัะปะพ ัะปะธะฒะพั‡ะฝะพะต โ€“ 100 ะณ
  • ะœะฐัะปะพ ั€ะฐัั‚ะธั‚ะตะปัŒะฝะพะต โ€“ 150 ะณ
  • ะœัƒะบะฐ ะฟัˆะตะฝะธั‡ะฝะฐั โ€“ 0,8-1 ะบะณ
  • ะ”ั€ะพะถะถะธ ััƒั…ะธะต โ€“ 1 ัั‚.ะป. ั ะณะพั€ะบะพะน
  • ะกะพะปัŒ โ€“ ั‰ะตะฟะพั‚ะบะฐ
  • ะกะฐั…ะฐั€ โ€“ ั‰ะตะฟะพั‚ะบะฐ

ะะฐั‡ะธะฝะบะฐ:

  • ะคะฐัะพะปัŒ ััƒั…ะฐั โ€“ 300-400 ะณ
  • ะกะฐะปะพ ัะฒะธะฝะพะต ั‚ะพะฟะปั‘ะฝะพะต ะธะปะธ ัะปะธะฒะพั‡ะฝะพะต ะผะฐัะปะพ โ€“ 100 ะณ (ะฟะปัŽั
  • ะตั‰ั‘ ะฝะตะผะฝะพะณะพ ะดะปั ะฟะพะดะฐั‡ะธ)
  • ะกะพะปัŒ, ัะฒะตะถะตะผะพะปะพั‚ั‹ะน ั‡ั‘ั€ะฝั‹ะน ะฟะตั€ะตั† โ€“ ะฟะพ ะฒะบัƒััƒ

ะกะฟะพัะพะฑ ะฟั€ะธะณะพั‚ะพะฒะปะตะฝะธั

ะขะตัั‚ะพ:

  1. ะŸะพะดะพะณั€ะตั‚ัŒ ะผะพะปะพะบะพ, ั‡ั‚ะพะฑั‹ ะฑั‹ะปะพ ั‡ัƒั‚ัŒ ั‚ั‘ะฟะปะพะต, ะฒัั‹ะฟะฐั‚ัŒ ัะฐั…ะฐั€ ะธ ะดั€ะพะถะถะธ, ะฒะปะธั‚ัŒ ะฝะตะผะฝะพะณะพ ั€ะฐัั‚ะธั‚ะตะปัŒะฝะพะณะพ ะผะฐัะปะฐ, ะฟั€ะธัั‹ะฟะฐั‚ัŒ ะผัƒะบะพะน ะธ ะฟะพัั‚ะฐะฒะธั‚ัŒ ะฒ ั‚ั‘ะฟะปะพะต ะผะตัั‚ะพ ะฝะฐ 15 ะผะธะฝัƒั‚. ะ—ะฐั‚ะตะผ ะดะพะฑะฐะฒะธั‚ัŒ ะผะฐั†ะพะฝะธ ะธ ะฑะžะปัŒัˆัƒัŽ ั‡ะฐัั‚ัŒ ะฟั€ะพัะตัะฝะฝะพะน ะผัƒะบะธ, ะฒะฑะธั‚ัŒ ัะนั†ะพ ะธ ะฝะฐั‡ะฐั‚ัŒ ะผะตัะธั‚ัŒ. ะŸะพ ะผะตั€ะต ะฝะตะพะฑั…ะพะดะธะผะพัั‚ะธ ะดะพะฑะฐะฒะปัั‚ัŒ ะผัƒะบัƒ. ะŸะพะปะพะถะธั‚ัŒ ั€ะฐัั‚ะพะฟะปะตะฝะฝะพะต ะธ ะพัั‚ัƒะถะตะฝะฝะพะต ัะปะธะฒะพั‡ะฝะพะต ะผะฐัะปะพ ะธ ัะพะปัŒ. ะŸั€ะพะดะพะปะถะฐั‚ัŒ ะผะตัะธั‚ัŒ 20 ะผะธะฝัƒั‚, ะฒั€ะตะผั ะพั‚ ะฒั€ะตะผะตะฝะธ ะฝะฐะปะธะฒะฐั ะฝะฐ ั€ัƒะบัƒ ั€ะฐัั‚ะธั‚ะตะปัŒะฝะพะต ะผะฐัะปะพ ะธ ะพะฑะผะฐะทั‹ะฒะฐั ะบะพะผ ั‚ะตัั‚ะฐ. ะ“ะพั‚ะพะฒะพะต ั‚ะตัั‚ะพ ะฝะต ะดะพะปะถะฝะพ ะฟั€ะธะปะธะฟะฐั‚ัŒ ะบ ั€ัƒะบะฐะผ. ะกะบะฐั‚ะฐั‚ัŒ ะตะณะพ ะฒ ัˆะฐั€, ะฟั€ะธัั‹ะฟะฐั‚ัŒ ะผัƒะบะพะน, ะฝะฐะบั€ั‹ั‚ัŒ ะฟะพะปะพั‚ะตะฝั†ะตะผ ะธ ะฟะพัั‚ะฐะฒะธั‚ัŒ ะฒ ั‚ั‘ะฟะปะพะต ะผะตัั‚ะพ ะฝะฐ 2 ั‡ะฐัะฐ. ะ’ั‹ะผะตัะธั‚ัŒ ะธ ะดะฐั‚ัŒ ะฟะพะดะพะนั‚ะธ ะตั‰ั‘ ั€ะฐะท 1-1,5 ั‡.

ะะฐั‡ะธะฝะบะฐ:

  1. ะ—ะฐะผะพั‡ะธั‚ัŒ ั„ะฐัะพะปัŒ ะฒ ั…ะพะปะพะดะฝะพะน ะฒะพะดะต ะฝะฐ 8-10 ั‡ะฐัะพะฒ, ะทะฐั‚ะตะผ ะพั‚ะบะธะฝัƒั‚ัŒ ะฝะฐ ะดัƒั€ัˆะปะฐะณ, ะทะฐะปะธั‚ัŒ ะฑะพะปัŒัˆะธะผ ะบะพะปะธั‡ะตัั‚ะฒะพะผ ั…ะพะปะพะดะฝะพะน ะฒะพะดั‹ ะธ ะฟะพัั‚ะฐะฒะธั‚ัŒ ะฝะฐ ัั€ะตะดะฝะธะน ะพะณะพะฝัŒ. ะ”ะพะฒะตัั‚ะธ ะดะพ ะบะธะฟะตะฝะธั, ะฒะฐั€ะธั‚ัŒ 1,5-2 ั‡ะฐัะฐ. ะกะปะธั‚ัŒ ะพั‚ะฒะฐั€, ะพัั‚ะฐะฒะธะฒ ะฝะตะผะฝะพะณะพ ะดะปั ะฟั€ะธะณะพั‚ะพะฒะปะตะฝะธั ะฟัŽั€ะต.ะ“ะพั€ัั‡ัƒัŽ ั„ะฐัะพะปัŒ ั€ะฐะทะผัั‚ัŒ ะฒ ะฟัŽั€ะต โ€“ ะฝะตะพะฑัะทะฐั‚ะตะปัŒะฝะพ ะดะพ ะณะปะฐะดะบะพัั‚ะธ, ะดะพะปะถะฝะฐ ะฟะพะปัƒั‡ะธั‚ัŒัั ะฟั€ะพัั‚ะพ ะพะดะฝะพั€ะพะดะฝะฐั ะผะฐััะฐ. ะ”ะพะฑะฐะฒะธั‚ัŒ ัะฒะธะฝะพะน ะถะธั€ ะธะปะธ ะผะฐัะปะพ, ัะพะปัŒ ะธ ะฟะตั€ะตั† ะฟะพ ะฒะบัƒััƒ. ะŸะตั€ะตะผะตัˆะฐั‚ัŒ, ะพัั‚ัƒะดะธั‚ัŒ.
  2. ะŸะพะดะพัˆะตะดัˆะตะต ั‚ะตัั‚ะพ ั€ะฐะทะดะตะปะธั‚ัŒ ะฝะฐ ะฟะพั€ั†ะธะธ ะฟั€ะธะผะตั€ะฝะพ ะฟะพ 200 ะณั€. ะบะฐะถะดะฐั ะธ ัะบะฐั‚ะฐั‚ัŒ ะฒ ัˆะฐั€ั‹, ะทะฐั‚ะตะผ ั€ะฐัะบะฐั‚ะฐั‚ัŒ ะฒ ะฝะตะฑะพะปัŒัˆะพะน ะบั€ัƒะณ. ะŸะพะปะพะถะธั‚ัŒ ะฒะฝัƒั‚ั€ัŒ ะฝะฐั‡ะธะฝะบัƒ โ€“ ะฟั€ะธะผะตั€ะฝะพ ัั‚ะพะปัŒะบะพ ะถะต, ัะบะพะปัŒะบะพ ั‚ะตัั‚ะฐ. ะะบะบัƒั€ะฐั‚ะฝะพ ัะพะฑั€ะฐั‚ัŒ ะบั€ะฐั ั‚ะตัั‚ะฐ ะบะฐะบ ะบะพั‚ะพะผะบัƒ ะธ ัะบั€ะตะฟะธั‚ัŒ ะฒ ัƒะทะตะป. ะŸะตั€ะตะฒะตั€ะฝัƒั‚ัŒ ะปะตะฟั‘ัˆะบัƒ ัˆะฒะพะผ ะฒะฝะธะท ะธ ั€ะฐัะบะฐั‚ะฐั‚ัŒ ัะบะฐะปะบะพะน ะฒ ะฑะปะธะฝ ั‚ะพะปั‰ะธะฝะพะน ะฒ 1 ัะผ. ะฃะปะพะถะธั‚ัŒ ะฝะฐ ะฟั€ะพั‚ะธะฒะตะฝัŒ ะธ ะฒั‹ะฟะตะบะฐั‚ัŒ ะฒ ั€ะฐะทะพะณั€ะตั‚ะพะน ะดัƒั…ะพะฒะบะต ะดะพ ั€ัƒะผัะฝะพะน ะบะพั€ะพั‡ะบะธ 30-40 ะผะธะฝัƒั‚.
  3. ะœะพะถะฝะพ ะฟะตั‡ัŒ ะปะพะฑะธะฐะฝะธ ะธ ะฝะฐ ัะบะพะฒะพั€ะพะดะต ะฟะพะด ะบั€ั‹ัˆะบะพะน ะฝะฐ ะฝะตะฑะพะปัŒัˆะพะผ ะพะณะฝะต. ะ“ะพั‚ะพะฒั‹ะต ะปะพะฑะธะฐะฝะธ ะฟั€ะพะผะฐะทะฐั‚ัŒ ะผะฐัะปะพะผ ะธะปะธ ัะฐะปะพะผ, ัะปะพะถะธั‚ัŒ ัั‚ะพะฟะบะพะน ะธ ั€ะฐะทั€ะตะทะฐั‚ัŒ ะพัั‚ั€ั‹ะผ ะฝะพะถะพะผ ะฝะฐ ะฟะพั€ั†ะธะธ, ะบะปะธะฝัŒัะผะธ.
Ingredients
  • Matzoon (fermented milk) โ€“ 500 grams
  • Milk โ€“ 1 cup
  • Egg โ€“ 1
  • Butter โ€“ 100 grams (melted)
  • Vegetable oil โ€“ 150 grams
  • Flour โ€“ 0.8-1 kg
  • Yeast โ€“ 1 Tbsp (heaping)
  • Salt โ€“ a pinch
  • Sugar โ€“ a pinch

Filling:

  • Beans, dry โ€“ 300-400 grams
  • Rendered pork fat or butter โ€“ 100 grams (plus a little extra for serving)
  • Salt, freshly ground black pepper โ€“ to taste

Preparation

Dough:

  1. Warm up milk (lukewarm), add sugar and yeast, add a small amount of oil, dust the top with some flour and place in a warm place for 15 minutes. Add matzoon and most of the sifted flour, mix in the egg and start kneading, adding flour as necessary. Add melted and cooled butter and salt. Continue kneading for 20 minutes, from time to time pour oil into a hand and spreading on the dough. The dough must not stick to hands. Roll dough into a ball, dust with flour, cover with a clean towel and leave in a warm place for 2 hours. Knead again and let rise again for 1-1.5 hours.

Filling:

  1. Soak beans in cold water for 8-10 hours, drain, cover with large amount of cold water. Bring to boil and cook over medium heat for 1.5-2 hours. Drain, reserving small amount of cooking liquid.
    Puree beans while hot until mostly smooth, although small lumps are permitted. Add pork fat or butter, salt and black pepper to taste. Mix well and let cool.
  2. When the dough has risen, divide in small portions of approximately 200 grams, roll into balls.
    Working with one portion at a time, roll each into a small circle. Place filling, approximately the same amount as dough, onto the middle of the circle. Gather the edges of the circle together, incasing the filling inside, like a small pouch. Flip the bread over, placing the seam under, and roll with a rolling pin into a circle 1 sm thick. Place the bread on the baking sheet and bake in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes until light brown.
  3. The Lobiani may also be cooked in a covered skillet over low heat. While hot, spread the bread with butter or pork fat, stack together and cut into wedges for serving.

ย 

ะฅะฐั‡ะฐะฟัƒั€ะธ ะฟะพ-ะฐะดะถะฐั€ัะบะธ Adjarian khachapuri
ะ“ะปะฐะฒะฝั‹ะผ ะพั‚ะปะธั‡ะธะตะผ ั…ะฐั‡ะฐะฟัƒั€ะธ ะฟะพ-ะฐะดะถะฐั€ัะบะธ ัะฒะปัะตั‚ัั ะธั… ั„ะพั€ะผะฐ. ะฅะฐั‡ะฐะฟัƒั€ะธ ั„ะพั€ะผะธั€ัƒะตั‚ัั โ€œะปะพะดะพั‡ะบะพะนโ€, ั ะพั‚ะบั€ั‹ั‚ะพะน ะฝะฐั‡ะธะฝะบะพะน. ะšะพะณะดะฐ ะณะพั‚ะพะฒั‹ะต ั…ะฐั‡ะฐะฟัƒั€ะธ ะฒั‹ะฝะธะผะฐัŽั‚ ะธะท ะฟะตั‡ะธ, ะฒ ะบะฐะถะดะพะต ะธะท ะฝะธั… ะฒั‹ะบะปะฐะดั‹ะฒะฐัŽั‚ ะบัƒัะพั‡ะตะบ ะผะฐัะปะฐ ะธ ัั‹ั€ะพะต ัะนั†ะพ, ะบะพั‚ะพั€ะพะต ะณะพั‚ะพะฒะธั‚ัั ะถะฐั€ะพะผ ัะฐะผะพะณะพ ะฟะธั€ะพะณะฐ. ะŸะพ ะถะตะปะฐะฝะธัŽ, ัะนั†ะพ ะผะพะถะฝะพ ะฒั‹ะปะพะถะธั‚ัŒ ะฝะฐ ัั‹ั€ ะทะฐ ะฝะตัะบะพะปัŒะบะพ ะผะธะฝัƒั‚ ะดะพ ะณะพั‚ะพะฒะฝะพัั‚ะธ, ะฟะพะทะฒะพะปะธะฒ ะตะผัƒ ะทะฐะฟะตั‡ัŒัั ะฒ ะดัƒั…ะพะฒะบะต.

ะจะตั„-ะฟะพะฒะฐั€ ะพะดะฝะพะณะพ ะธะท ะธะทะฒะตัั‚ะฝั‹ั… ั€ะตัั‚ะพั€ะฐะฝะพะฒ ะฟั€ะตะดะปะฐะณะฐะตั‚ ั€ะตั†ะตะฟั‚ ั…ะฐั‡ะฐะฟัƒั€ะธ ะฟะพ-ะฐะดะถะฐั€ัะบะธ ะธ ะฟะพััะฝัะตั‚, ะบะฐะบ ะตะณะพ ะฟั€ะฐะฒะธะปัŒะฝะพ ะตัั‚ัŒ.

For a great recipe to try this version of khachapuri that cooks an egg in the middle of the โ€œbread boatโ€ loaf, see TheFreshLoaf.com.

For a more authentic version, just make the boat smaller and, as you take the bread out of the oven, place a pad of butter on the cheese followed immediately by a raw egg and let cool.

Our Favorite Khachapuri Videos

By Jordan Bryant

This nicely filmed video shows us how to prepare the tricky, but often considered most beautiful and tasty form of khachapuri โ€“ the Adjarian โ€œboat.โ€ The narrator speaks in very clear Russian and also performs all the steps as she speaks, making it a great how-to follow-along.

ย 

Very entertaining cooking program that shows how to prepare cheese-topped โ€œั…ะฐั‡ะฐะฟัƒั€ะธ ะฟะพ-ะผะตะณั€ะตะปัŒัะบะธ.โ€ Very professionally done with a wonderful backdrop and enthusiastic host. Quite interesting as the show (Smachno!) for which this is a feature is a Ukrainian-Georgian collaboration.

ย 

News video/interview about the appearance of a Georgian cafรฉ in the center of Moscow. Note that neither the owner/entrepreneur nor the servers are ethnic Georgians. Swanky new approach to the old khachapuri (khachapurnaya โ€“ khachapuri bakery).

How Khachapuri is Made in Georgia 2022

By Sadie Brink

One of many amazing moments from my summer abroad in Batumi, Georgia was learning how to make Adjarian khachapuri. Adjarian khachapuri is bread made into the shape of a boat and filled with cheese. The dish is topped with an egg yolk and a slab of butter. It is one of the most iconic and sought after Georgian dishes, and very fun to make.

I, along with other SRAS students, got to make Adjarian khachapuri at Wine Restaurant Marani, located on the top floor of the Marani Hotel in Batumi, Georgia. The restaurant is a ten minute drive from the school, and after arriving we met the owner in front of the hotel. He led us to the restaurant, which had a modern interior while still maintaining a welcoming and comfortable environment. Here we were given aprons, hairnets, and a place to wash our hands.

A chef was waiting for us with all of the ingredients for each of us to make our own khachapuri. A Georgian, she spoke little Russian, and no English, so we had a translator with us. To allow us to complete the process in a reasonable time, the dough and cheese mixtures were already made, although the chef gave us the recipe for each (again, through a translator), in case we wanted to try again on our own. We all took turns rolling out the dough, then making the boat shape. It was much more complicated than the chef made it look. After all students finished working with their dough, we then put two or three heaping spoonfuls of the cheese mixture into our dough-boats. Itโ€™s a lot more cheese than you think โ€“ after adding two spoonfuls to my khachapuri, the chef encouraged me to add more, making sure the spoon was carrying as much cheese as physics would allow.

Our khachapuri went into the oven for seven minutes at 210 degrees Celsius. The chef then took out the baking sheets and had us scrape the raw dough from the inner part of the boat with a fork, then put an egg yolk on top of the cheese mixture. This is where I learned that I have no pain tolerance when it comes to touching hot bread with my hands. But the chef helped me out, and while I scraped the raw dough, she held the khachapuri in place for me. She then put the khachapuri back into the oven for a few more minutes.

Once our culinary works of art were finished baking, the chef transferred each to a plate and put a thick pad of butter on top. Like many dishes, the recipe for khachapuri can be tweaked to fit your preference. Some students did not have the yolk on theirs, while others opted for no butter. We walked our masterpieces over to a table that had been set for us, where we sat down and began to eat. The restaurant also served us Georgian lemonade, and after we had eaten as much as we could, we were able to admire the view from the restaurantโ€™s balcony.

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About the author

Jordan Bryant

Jordan Bryant graduated from Harvard University with a BA in Slavic Languages & Literatures. Sheย  previously spent two summers studying abroad in St. Petersburg and one in Prauge. She participated in SRASโ€™s Home and Abroad Program in Vladivostok, Russia.

View all posts by: Jordan Bryant

Sadie Brink

Sadie Brink, at the time she wrote for this site, was attending Reed College in the US and participating in Batumi: Russian as a Second Language with SRAS partially funded by an SRAS Challenge Grant.

View all posts by: Sadie Brink