A recipe from Gemo
Megrelian Khachapuri
A round Samegrelo-style Georgian cheese bread filled with soft Imeretian cheese and sulguni, then topped with more sulguni before baking. The extra browned cheese layer makes it richer and more visually distinct than Imeretian khachapuri.
Method
- 01
Stir the warm milk, yeast, and sugar together in a large bowl and let stand until the yeast looks foamy. Add the flour, salt, sunflower oil, and 30 grams of the melted butter, then mix into a soft dough.
⏱ 10 min
- 02
Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, adding only enough extra flour to stop heavy sticking. Place it in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let it rise in a warm place until noticeably puffed.
⏱ 60 min
- 03
While the dough rises, make the filling. Mix the crumbled Imeruli cheese with 150 grams of the sulguni and the whole egg. In a separate bowl, mix the remaining 150 grams sulguni with the egg yolk for the topping.
- 04
Heat the oven to 220 C. Divide the dough into 2 equal balls and divide the filling into 2 portions. Flatten one dough ball into a thick round, place one portion of filling in the center, gather the edges over the cheese, and pinch firmly to seal. Repeat with the second dough ball.
- 05
Turn each sealed dough ball seam-side down on a floured surface and gently press or roll it into a round about 1 to 1.5 cm thick. Make a small vent hole in the center so steam can escape without tearing the bread.
- 06
Transfer the rounds to a floured or parchment-lined baking tray. Spread the sulguni-yolk topping evenly over each round, keeping most of the cheese on the center and surface rather than spilling over the edges.
- 07
Bake at 220 C until the dough is cooked through and the top cheese is melted, bubbling, and browned in spots. Rotate the tray once if the oven browns unevenly.
⏱ 18 min
- 08
Brush the hot khachapuri with the remaining melted butter and rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve warm, while the cheese inside is still soft.
⏱ 5 min
Nutrition
