Georgian Cheese Bread ("Adjaruli Khachapuri")

When I first saw a picture of this Georgian delicacy I thought, “wow that think looks unique and fun to eat but probably doesn’t taste much different than a mozzarella stick.” Man was I wrong. Picture this, an enriched dough that’s cooked hard and fast in the oven and inside a steaming mound of multiple cheeses than melts into a tangy, fatty river destined for your mouth-hole. Then the whole thing is finished with an egg yolk and pad of butter. Insane.

This cheese bread is thought to date back to the 12th century when Georgia went through the renaissance. The word “khacha” in Georgian means “curdled cheese” while “puri” comes from Indian meaning “bread.” Link the two words together and bam, you got yourself a dank cheese boat. Give this one a whack, you’ll be glad you did. Let me know if you have any questions. You got this. 🤘🏼 Adam

Check out more vidz by subscribing to my YouTube channel here! 🤘🏼 Adam

Yield: 4, 10-inch Khachapuri

Print

Georgian Cheese Bread ("Adjaruli Khachapuri")

Ingredients

The Dough

• 1/2 cup Water, 105F (115g)
• 1 cup Whole Milk, 105F (250g)
• 2 tsp Active Dry Yeast (7g)
• 2 tsp Sugar (10g)
• 1 Egg, beaten
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil (20g)
• 4 cups Bread Flour (610g)
• 1 tsp Kosher Salt (4g)
• 4 Egg Yolks, divided
• 4 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, divided

The Cheese Filling

• 2 pounds Low-Moisture Mozzarella, grated
• 1 pound Full-fat Mozzarella, grated
• 1 pound Feta, crumbled
• 1 1/2 cups Water

Instructions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the warm water, milk, yeast and sugar. Let activate and get bubbly for 5 minutes. Add the egg, olive oil and bread flour. Attach the dough hook attachment and knead on medium speed just until the dough comes together then turn off the machine and let rest for 15 minutes.
2. Turn the machine to medium-high speed and knead the dough until a smooth, elastic dough forms that passes the “window test,” add the salt and work the dough until it’s fully incorporated in. Remove the stand mixer bowl from the machine, cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until it’s increased in size by at least a third.
3. Meanwhile, mix the low-moisture mozzarella, the full-fat mozzarella, feta, salt and water in a bowl. Use a rubber spatula to turn the mixture until smooth. Cover and set aside.
4. Remove the dough from the bowl and divide into quarters. Using a bit of flour to prevent sticking, working one by one, roll each piece of dough into ovals about a quarter inch thick. Spread a thin layer of the cheese filling from edge to edge, then roll the sides of the khachapuri to form a “boat” shape so that the cheese works into the crust. Fill the khachapuri with more cheese to form a slight dome, arrange on a lined baking tray, then cover with plastic wrap and let proof for 20 minutes, or until noticeably puffier. Preheat the oven to 425F (218c).
5. Brush the bread with egg wash then bake for 12 minutes. Remove the khachapuri from the oven and top each with a single egg yolk. Return the bread to the oven and finish for 3 more minutes.
6. Remove the khachapuri from the oven, stick in a tablespoon of butter. To serve, garnish with parsley then mix the yolk and butter into the cheese. Tear off a pieces of bread to dip into the cheese and CRUSH!

Adam's Notes

• Traditionally, Georgian cheese is used instead of Mozzerella and Feta. The original cheeses are called "Imereti" and "sulguni".
• This is usually eaten at breakfast or lunch.
• Pull pieces of the bread off and dip in the cheese for the ultimate experience.
• Use bread flour for a sturdier boat, but All-Purpose works fine too.