Adjarian Khachapuri Recipe

By BobLongo

here are several types of Khachapuri one might encounter throughout Georgia. There is Imeruli, Megruli, Guruli, Osuri, Svanuri, Rachuli, Penovani, etc. Each one of these are made in slightly different variations. Adjarian khachapuri will also remind you of Turkish Pide. Turkish pide can be made with lots of savory toppings, where Khachapuri is strictly a cheese and a thicker crust thing. Some variations can be made with the addition of an egg.

Ingredients

• Ingredients
• NGREDIENTS FOR THE DOUGH:
• 1 Tbsp of active dry yeast
• 1 cup of warm milk
• 1 tsp of sugar
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1 egg
• 3 Tbsp of vegetable oil
• 3 cups of all purpose flour
• TOPPING:
• 5-6 cups of shredded cheese of your choice. I used Sulguni and Mozarella. You can also increase the cheese amount if you like it cheesy :D
• 1 egg yolk for a wash
• 1/2 Tbsp of water for the egg wash
• Use extra eggs if you want to crack it on the khachapuri mid baking. optional
• 1 Tbsp cold butter cut in pieces

Preparation

Step 1

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Instructions
DIRECTIONS TO MAKE THE DOUGH:
Having the milk warm helps the dry yeast activate faster, which in terms helps the dough rise well. Sugar also aids in this process, which feeds yeast. Place warm milk in a medium bowl and add sugar, yeast and salt. Give the mixture a stir and cover it with a plastic wrap or a plate. Wait for about 5-10 minutes until you see some froth forming on the surface of the mixture. Add oil and the egg. Give it a stir with a fork and add the flour. Be careful adding the flour. Consistency of the flour is different depending on the brand of the flour you might be using. Always leave a cup to incorporate it at the end, as needed. Chances are you will still use all of it. But if you notice that the dough is getting harder, it might be time to stop adding more flour. The opposite might be true, too. If you add all the flour and your mixture is still a little wet, add a little more flour than listed on the recipe. After you have added the flour kneed a nicely soft dough.
Grease the dough with just a little bit of oil, put a damp cloth over it and cover with another towel. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes. It should double in size before you can use it. It is a very pliable dough and should not give you any trouble rolling once rested well.
Shred all the cheese. If you are using different varieties of cheese, mix everything well once shredded.
When the dough is well rested, add a little flour to the surface you will be working on. Place the dough on the surface and cut it to 5 even pieces.
Cover the dough with a plastic wrap and let it rest for about 5 minutes. Once the time is up start rolling the dough one by one, creating an oblong shape, which is about 8 inches wide and 12 inches long. You can roll the dough pretty thin as it will rise in the oven again, creating a thicker crust.
Once the dough is rolled out transfer it to the baking sheet. This dough is very easy to work with. Transferring it should not be a problem. My trick is to roll the dough gently, move it on the baking sheet and unroll right away.
Place a cup of cheese (or more, if you prefer) on the dough and spread evenly. Gently tuck the sides of the dough inwards, creating a small roll (as if creating a stuffed crust pizza. Don’t worry if you can’t do it right away, it is ok to mess this one up. This recipe is quite forgiving. Follow the oblong shape of the dough. Once both sides are tucked, pinch the top and the bottom of the dough, or simply tuck one corner over the other, as pictured.
Cover the khachapuri with a towel and let them rest 10 minutes before they go into the oven. If you are in a rush you can skip this step.
Set the oven to 420F. Make and egg wash using the egg yolk and a table spoon of water. Brush the sides of the khachapuri with the egg wash. Place small pieces of butter on top of the cheese and place the khachapuri in the oven and bake until golden brown. It should take no more than 30 minutes.
Notes
If you would like to try cracking an egg on the khachapuri, take the baking sheet out of the oven right before the khachapuri is done baking. crack one egg right in the middle of it and place the khachapuri back in the oven until completely baked.