Adjarian Khachapuri
Adjarian khachapuri is meant to be eaten with your hands and without delay: tear off a golden end of the boat and drag it through hot cheese stirred together with egg yolk and butter. We pair stretchy suluguni with salty brined cheese for depth. The portions are generous, so one boat per person is plenty.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 17 min
- Rest
- 1 h 15 min
- Total
- 2 h 12 min
- Servings
- 4
- Level
- Medium
- Per serving
- 950 kcal
Ingredients
For the dough
For the filling
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What to use instead
Imeruli is the traditional cheese but hard to find outside Georgia. Suluguni plus brynza or feta gives a similar salty, stretchy balance; a little mozzarella works in the mix too.
To finish
Makes: 4 khachapuri
Shopping list
The ingredients for the servings you chose — copy them or send them to a messenger. Tick what you already have at home: only the rest goes on the list.
Method
Oven
240 °C · top and bottom heat, no fan
With a fan: 220 °C
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Step 1: Knead the dough
Combine the flour, yeast, sugar and salt, then add the warm milk, water and oil. Knead for 8–10 minutes into a soft, smooth dough that feels just slightly tacky.
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Step 2: Let it rise
Cover and leave in a warm place for 60 minutes, until doubled.
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Step 3: Make the cheese filling
Mix the grated suluguni with the brynza and milk into a thick paste that holds together when squeezed. Taste the brined cheese first: if it’s very salty, soak it in cold water for 30 minutes and squeeze it dry.
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Step 4: Roll out the dough
Heat the oven to 240 °C (465 °F) with a baking sheet inside. Divide the dough into 4 pieces of about 170 g and roll each on a sheet of parchment into a 25 × 18 cm oval, about 5 mm thick.
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Step 5: Shape the boats
Lay a thin line of cheese along both long edges of the oval, then roll each edge tightly inward, leaving the middle open. Bring the ends together, pinch and twist them into points. Fill the centres with the remaining cheese, dividing it between the four boats.
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Step 6: Proof and glaze
Let the boats rest for 15 minutes, then brush the rims with beaten egg. Slide them, still on their parchment, onto the hot baking sheet.
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Step 7: Bake and add the yolks
Bake for 12–14 minutes, until the rims are deep golden and the cheese is bubbling. Pull them out, make a hollow in each with a spoon, slip in a yolk and return to the oven for 2–3 minutes, just long enough to warm the yolk without setting it.
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Step 8: Serve at once
Top each khachapuri with a piece of butter straight away. At the table, stir the yolk and butter into the cheese with a fork, then tear off the crust and dip.
Tips & variations
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Swap
Imeruli is the traditional cheese but hard to find outside Georgia. Suluguni plus brynza or feta gives a similar salty, stretchy balance; a little mozzarella works in the mix too.
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Tip
If raw egg white worries you, crack a whole egg into the hollow and bake for 4–5 minutes instead. The yolk may firm up slightly, which some people prefer anyway.
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Variation
Divide the dough into 6 instead of 4 for smaller boats that suit a lighter supper or brunch.
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Storage
Khachapuri is best straight from the oven. You can bake the boats without the yolk ahead, reheat them at 180 °C for 5–7 minutes, then add the yolk.
Nutrition
| 1 serving | Whole dish 4 servings | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 950 kcal | 3,800 kcal |
| Protein | 42 g | 168 g |
| Fat | 48 g | 192 g |
| Carbohydrates | 86 g | 344 g |
Approximate values calculated from standard ingredient data.
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