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Megruli khachapuri
Cheese-filled bread with cheese topping
Samegrelo's round cheese bread, filled and topped with cheese
GeorgianSamegrelo, in western Georgia, gives its name to the most generous of the khachapuri: a round, soft yoghurt-and-yeast bread filled with salty cheese and then topped with more cheese, so it comes out of the oven with a golden, blistered lid. It is the khachapuri of Georgian supra feasts and family Sundays, cut into wedges and passed around with herbs, pickles and a tomato and cucumber salad. Traditionally the cheese is a mix of stretchy sulguni and fresh, tangy imeruli; outside Georgia, low-moisture mozzarella and feta make a good match. Sulguni and some fetas use animal rennet, so pick ones made with vegetarian rennet. Overfilling is what makes the base tear and leak, so keep the dough at least 5 mm thick underneath. Chef's tip: bake it high in a very hot oven and rub butter over the cheese as soon as it comes out, which is how Georgian bakeries finish it.
- Total time
- 93 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the dough
- 16 oz plain flourplus extra for shaping
- ⅛ oz instant dried yeast
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- ¾ cup whole milklukewarm
- 5 ½ oz plain yogurt or matsoni
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
For the filling
- 14 oz low-moisture mozzarella (sulguni substitute)grated; vegetarian rennet
- 7 oz feta (imeruli substitute)crumbled; vegetarian rennet
- 5 ½ oz low-moisture mozzarellagrated, for the top; vegetarian rennet
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Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Mix 16 oz plain flour, ⅛ oz instant dried yeast, 1 tsp sugar and 1 tsp salt. Add ¾ cup whole milk, 5 ½ oz plain yogurt or matsoni, 1 egg and 2 tbsp sunflower oil and mix to a soft, slightly sticky dough.
Step 2: Knead for 6–8 minutes until smooth. Cover and leave in a warm place for 45 minutes, until risen by half.
50 minStep 3: Mix 14 oz low-moisture mozzarella (sulguni substitute) and 7 oz feta (imeruli substitute) and squeeze into two large balls of filling.
Step 4: Heat the oven to 475°F (425°F fan) with a baking tray inside. Divide the dough in two.
Step 5: On a floured surface, flatten one piece into an 18 cm round. Set a cheese ball in the middle, gather the dough up over it like a pouch and pinch tightly closed.
Step 6: Turn it seam side down and gently press and roll it out into a 26 cm round, keeping it even so no cheese breaks through. Repeat with the other half.
Step 7: Lay one round on baking paper, make a small hole in the centre, brush with 1 egg yolk and scatter half of 5 ½ oz low-moisture mozzarella on top.
Step 8: Slide it onto the hot tray and bake for 12–14 minutes, until the crust is deep golden, the cheese is blistered and the base is crisp and brown underneath. Bake the second the same way.
13 minStep 9: Rub half of 1 oz butter over each hot khachapuri, cut into wedges and eat straight away.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 640 kcal
- Protein
- 32 g
- Carbs
- 60 g
- Fat
- 30 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does megruli khachapuri take?
- About 93 minutes in total: 65 minutes to prepare and 28 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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