When you travel to Georgia, you’ll see this ubiquitous dish everywhere you go. The ultimate comfort food, the fluffy boat shaped bread holds in multiple types of cheese, and a runny egg in the centre. Georgians love it, and some even say the country is shaped like khachapuri! This dish can be eaten on its own, or as part of a larger meal.
Time to Prepare: 2 hours
Time to Cook: 20 minutes
Number of Servings: 2 meals or 4 sides
Ingredients for the Dough:
350g all purpose flour
190ml water
60ml milk
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dry active yeast
1 tbsp granulated sugar
Ingredients for the Filling:
100g Mozzarella
100g Feta
100g Cottage Cheese
1 egg per khachapuri + 1 egg for washing the bread
Knob of butter (optional)
Instructions:
- In a large bowl, combine all of the dry dough ingredients
- Heat the milk and water to slightly above body temperature (about 45 Degrees C) and pour into the dry ingredients
- Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic. This will take some time.
- Add the oil and knead for another minute until it is evenly dispersed.
- Drizzle some oil into the empty bowl and place the dough back inside. Cover with a tea towel and leave in a warm place to prove (rise). It should double in size within about an hour.
- After an hour, press the dough gently between your hands, and then leave to rise for a further half hour.
- Combine your cheeses in another bowl and set your oven to preheat at 230 Degrees C
- Place your risen dough onto a floured surface and cut into the desired number of servings.
- Stretch each piece of dough into a circle about the size of a dinner plate. As if you were rolling up a sheet of wrapping paper, roll the top and the bottom of your ‘plate’ up, until they are within a few inches of one another. This space is where your cheese will go. Pinch the open ends of the rolls together, to create a boat shape.
- Put your khachapuri onto a baking sheet lined with greased baking paper
- Put your cheese mix into your boat. Beat an egg and brush the dough with egg wash (you can use kitchen paper to dip and wipe if you don’t have a pastry brush).
- Bake at 230 Degrees C for 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown (this will take more or less time depending on how large or small you have made your khachapuri), so keep an eye on it.
- Take the khachapuri out and with the back of a spoon, make a well in the centre of the cheese. Crack an egg into the well and stick a few pieces of butter spaced out around it.
Bake for another 5-6 minutes. The egg should be white, but the yolk is still very runny. It will cook further as it sits in the hot cheese. When serving, mix the egg and cheese up with a fork, and serve immediately.
