Khachapuri is a popular Georgian dish similar to pizza, calzone, quesadilla or blintz. It is a type of flat bread filled with cheese or a buttery mixture and can be made with various cheeses. There are different types of khachapuri in different regions of Georgia.
Khachapuri is a type of flat bread, filled with cheese or featuring a buttery, buttery mixture surrounded by a browned crust. The dish originates from the Republic of Georgia and can be considered similar to a pizza, calzone, quesadilla or blintz. Khachapuri is incredibly popular in its home country. Often, those attempting to make it at home outside of Georgia may have trouble finding the correct type of cheese to use, which is usually a Georgian cheese called sulguni. The variations on the dish, however, leave room for unique culinary interpretations.
Typical khachapuri appears as a lightly puffed flat bread, with cheese exposed in the center, similar to a pizza, or with cheese enclosed in the bread, similar to a calzone. The shape of the product can be circular or oval with knobs on the end, resembling a flat version of a Portuguese roll. Sometimes, the dough has a flaky, phyllo or croissant texture. More often than not, the dough has a fluffy, somewhat chewy texture and a browned, crispy crust.
Khachapuri can be found virtually everywhere in Georgia, but it can also be made at home. After the yeast, water, salt, and egg are mixed to form a dough, this mixture is allowed to sit for a short time for the yeast to become active. The dough is then flattened and spread out on a pan. The cheese, either alone or mixed with egg and butter, is spread into the concave area of the dough or stuffed into a pocket in the dough. The product is baked in the oven until browned and bubbling.
Traditional cheeses for making khachapuri can be hard to find in some countries. A pickled cheese called sulguni is considered the more traditional type. Sulguni offers a stringy texture, similar to mozzarella, but with a sharp, salty and somewhat acidic flavor. Other Georgian cheeses such as imeruli are also often used. Other options include blending mozzarella with other sharp and salty cheeses to get the correct flavor.
There are different types of khachapuri in different households, cafes, restaurants and regions of Georgia. One of the most common types is the Imeritan khachapuri, which has a circular shape. The Ossetian version of the dish features diced or sliced potatoes mixed with cheese. Khachapuri Adjarian has raw roe draped over the top before cooking. In other cases, the cheese may be mixed with butter and egg before being cooked into dough, creating a creamy texture and rich flavor.
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