The traditional Georgian bread is stuffed with an Aged Havarti cheese for awesome flavor, especially when it is still warm, right out of the oven.
Pizza is one of the ultimate favorite dishes for most people. I too love pizza. But if you ask somebody from the country of Georgia, they will say they like Khachapuri, which is filled bread stuffed with melting cheese, rather than a pizza. So no wonder it is considered as one of Georgia’s most famous national dishes. I was planning to make one for long time and with beautiful havarti cheese in hand, decided to make Imeruli khachapuri.
Even though various types of khachapuri are available in Georgia, the most common one is Imeruli khachapuri from the western Georgian region of Imereti. In this version cheese is stuffed inside the bread. 
This Imeruli khachapuri is delicious, you can have just as such or even with dip of marinara, it will be wonderful. You can feel the taste of cheese in every bite. The aged Haverti cheese made this khachapuri even more scrumptious. We had it for our evening tea as well as breakfast. You can also reheat them for 15 seconds in microwave before serving.
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The Art of Cheese — Imeruli Khachapuri: Bread with Aged Havarti
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: one, 12-inch bread 1x
Description
The traditional Georgian bread is stuffed with an Aged Havarti cheese for awesome flavor, especially when it is still warm, right out of the oven. Delicious creamy cheese stuffed Georgian bread goes well as snack or breakfast. Recipe is adapted from Georgian Recipes.
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 2 1/4 cup/ 285 g bread flour
- 2 1/4 tsp/ 7g instant yeast
- 1/2 tsp/ 4g salt
- 1/2 cup/143g milk
- 1/4 cup/52g canola oil
Filling
- 1 1/2 cup/136g Aged Havarti cheese (shredded)
- 3/4 cup/89g Mozzarella cheese (shredded)
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) of unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
For brushing
- 1 egg + 2 tbsp (30 ml) water for egg wash
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) of melted butter
Instructions
- In a bowl of kitchen aid stand mixer mix, flour, salt, oil, milk and instant yeast to form smooth dough.
- Transfer to well greased bowl and set aside for double in volume. It took about 2 hours as my kitchen is cold.
- Once the dough is doubled in volume, make the filling. In a bowl add two cheeses, egg and softened butter mix everything well.
- Transfer the dough into a lightly floured surface and spread it into 10 inch circle( if you can).
- Then carefully spread the filling on the top of the dough leaving 1 inch on the sides.
- Hold dough from the sides and bring to center like a pocket. Close the ends into a tight seam.
- Then spread the dough once again into a circle about 1/2 inch thickness. I tried maximum to make it circle still not got exact circle. If you can make a perfect circle that would fine.
- Transfer the prepared dough with cheese filling into a parchment lined pizza pan. Chill the dough in refrigerator for about 30 minutes. While the dough is chilling preheat oven to maximum in my case 500F.
- When you ready for baking brush them with an egg wash.
- Prick the top with a fork so that it won’t puff a lot. And bake the khachapuri for about 12 minutes. After 10 minutes make sure to watch them closely so that top won’t brown too much. Once done remove from the oven and immediately brush them with melted butter.
- Enjoy the slice as soon as you can handle the heat.
- Goes well with coffee or tea or even a dip of marinara it is best.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Side, Baking
- Cuisine: Georgian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 320
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do you chill the shaped dough for 30 minutes before baking?
The filled, flattened round goes into the refrigerator while you preheat the oven to 500°F. That chill firms the dough back up after all the folding and pressing, so it holds its shape in the intense heat and you get a cleaner edge rather than a puffy, misshapen disc.
Why use both Aged Havarti and mozzarella in the filling?
The Aged Havarti carries the flavor. It has a crumbly, creamy texture with a rich buttery taste and a touch of tanginess, plus small crystals that intensify as the cheese ripens. Mozzarella is there purely for stretch and melt. Together you get taste and that satisfying pull.
The dough took 2 hours to double. Is that normal?
Completely normal in a cold kitchen, which mine often is. Instant yeast is forgiving. Give it time rather than heat. If your kitchen is warm, it may double in an hour. Just watch the dough, not the clock.
Can I reheat leftover khachapuri?
Yes. 15 seconds in the microwave brings it back nicely. The cheese softens again and the bread stays tender. Any longer and the dough toughens.
