Khachapuri
Submitted by coangela
Khachapuri, a Georgian cheese bread stuffed with muenster, Swiss, and cheddar in a pleated yeast dough. Baked golden in a springform pan, sliced into warm, melty wedges.
Khachapuri is Georgia’s most famous cheese bread, and this version builds a soft, buttery yeast dough around a generous filling of three melted cheeses. Muenster, Swiss (or Jarlsberg), and white cheddar get shredded and mixed with eggs, parsley, and white pepper, then wrapped inside a circle of dough that’s pleated shut like a giant dumpling.
Rolling the dough out to a full 20 inches sounds like a lot, but it needs that size to wrap up and over the mound of cheese filling with enough overlap to pleat. The pleats twist together at the top into a rough knob that opens slightly during baking, letting steam escape so the bread doesn’t get soggy.
The final five minutes directly on the oven rack are what give the bottom crust its crunch. Without that step, the bottom stays pale and soft from sitting in the springform pan. Let the bread cool for a solid 45 minutes before cutting so the melted cheese inside sets up enough to slice without running everywhere.
Chef Tips
- Grease the springform pan generously. The cheese will bubble and stick if the pan isn’t well coated
- Make the pleats even so the dough rises uniformly during the second proof
- The egg white glaze gives the crust a shiny, bakery-quality finish
- This bread is a full meal paired with a bowl of soup or a simple salad
Variations
- Use a mix of muenster and Swiss instead of three cheeses for a more traditional Georgian flavor
- Add crumbled feta to the filling for a tangier, saltier bite
- Brush the top with melted butter instead of egg wash for a softer, richer crust
Ingredients
Directions
Dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in ¼ cup water and let stand 5 -10 minutes to proof until foamy.
Add milk, 2 tablespoon sugar, butter, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough.
Place in greased bowl and turn to coat all sides.
Cover and let rise until double in bulk.
Shred cheeses, combine all filling ingredients and refrigerate.
Grease a 9 inch springform pan very well.
Punch down dough, shape into a ball, and roll to a 20 inch circle.
Ease dough into pan (fold in half to lift and unfold in pan) letting excess hang over the edge.
Mound cheese filling onto dough in pan and bring dough up over the filling, folding to make 8 to 12 evenly spaced pleats.
Twist and pinch edns together to make a rough knob.
Cover with a buttered 12 inch square of waxed paper and let rise until double in bulk.
Brush loaf with glaze of 1 egg white + 1 tablespoon water (or use marg).
Bake 40 to 50 min. @ 375 Or until deep golden brown.
Remove bread from pan, place directly on oven rack, and bake for an additional 5 minutes to brown bottom crust.
Cool on rack for 45 minutes before cutting into wedges.
- Served with soup or salad, this is a full meal!!! Can substitute 4 oz muenster and 4 oz swiss for 8 oz cheddar.
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