Georgian Cheese Bread Recipe – Acharuli Khachapuri

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 15 mins

Total: 35 mins

Servings: 9 to 12 servings

Khachapuri (хачапури) is a Georgian bread stuffed with a specific melting cheese known as sulguni from the Samegrelo region of the Republic of Georgia, a country situated in Eurasia at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and West Asia between Russia and Turkey.

Sulguni is an unaged cow's milk cheese that has a slightly sour, moderately salty flavor and an elastic consistency similar to mozzarella or halloumi. It can be fresh or smoked and is used in many dishes besides cheese bread.

Khachapuri is considered one of Georgia’s national comfort-food dishes. When Georgia was a Soviet republic, many Georgian dishes were appropriated by Russia and mistakenly have come to be known as Russian. That’s why you will find this Georgian dish at pubs and restaurants and even in the home on Russian zakuski spreads.

There are many types of this cross between a grilled cheese and pizza, but these are most common―Acharuli Khachapuri (ахарули хачапури), and Megruli Khachapuri. They all use the same basic dough but it is how they are shaped that differs.

This recipe for Acharuli Khachapuri is from Adjara, located in the southwestern corner of Georgia. The dough is formed into an open boat shape and topped with a raw egg and butter before serving. This recipe, which is adapted from Georgian Recipes, will make three khachapuri but, they are so good, we doubt you will find yourself with leftovers. If you do, they freeze nicely.

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Ingredients

For the Dough:

1 cup (200 milliliters) warm water
1 tablespoon active dry yeast, or instant yeast
2.5 pounds (1.15 kilograms) all-purpose flour
1 cup (200 milliliters) warm milk
1.7 ounces (50 milliliters) olive oil
1 large egg
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon fine salt
1 cup (200 milliliters) additional warm water as needed

For the Cheese Filling:

7 ounces (200 grams) sulguni cheese, grated
3 large eggs, divided
1 tablespoon (20 grams) butter, optional
A large pat of butter, optional, for serving

Steps to Make It

To Make Dough

Gather the ingredients.
In a small bowl, combine warm water with yeast and set aside.
In a large bowl or stand mixer, mix together flour with milk, oil, egg, sugar, salt, and yeast-water mixture. Knead by hand or with a dough hook until dough forms a smooth, elastic dough. (You may need up to 1 cup additional warm water.)
Cover bowl with greased plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 2 hours.
Punch down dough and divide into three pieces. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rest 15 minutes before shaping.

To Make the Cheese Filling

Gather the ingredients.
In a medium bowl, combine grated cheese, 1 egg, and butter, if using. Separate one egg, retaining egg yolk and saving white for another use. Fork blend egg yolk and set aside.

To Assemble the Acharuli Khachapuri

Heat oven to 400 F. Roll each of the dough balls and form into a boat shape.
Place equal portions of cheese filling in center of each of the 3 dough boats. Fold sides and ends of dough as shown in picture.
Place khachapuri on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet (to catch any butter or melting cheese) and bake for 12 minutes.
Take khachapuri out of oven and brush dough (not cheese) with reserved beaten egg yolk. Crack last egg in the center of cheese.
Return to oven and bake for 3 minutes or until the yolk is still wobbly and white hasn't totally set. Serve immediately with a large pat of butter.

Adapted from Georgian Recipes.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 9 to 12
Amount per serving
Calories	468
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g	14%
Saturated Fat 4g	18%
Cholesterol 77mg	26%
Sodium 317mg	14%
Total Carbohydrate 74g	27%
Dietary Fiber 3g	10%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 17g
Vitamin C 0mg	0%
Calcium 133mg	10%
Iron 5mg	27%
Potassium 175mg	4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.