Description
Khachapuri is a traditional Georgian cheese bread featuring a boat-shaped dough filled with a melty blend of mozzarella, feta, and ricotta cheeses, topped with a baked egg and butter for a rich, savory treat. Crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside, it’s perfect as a hearty breakfast or comfort food snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 1 pound pizza dough (store bought or homemade)
Cheese Filling
- 1 cup feta cheese
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 2 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 tablespoons onion salt (from Trader Joe’s) or dried dill
Toppings and Seasonings
- 2–4 eggs + 1 egg for egg wash
- 2–4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons Everything But The Bagel Seasoning (optional)
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, or Trader Joe’s Chili Onion Crunch for spice)
- 2 tablespoons green onion, finely chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: Place cold pizza dough in a bowl lightly coated with oil. Swirl to coat the dough completely, then cover with a tea towel and let it rest for at least one hour. After resting, punch down the dough to release air bubbles.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350ºF if using a convection oven; if using a conventional oven without convection, increase the temperature to 375ºF. Adjust cooking time accordingly.
- Make Cheese Filling: In a mixing bowl, combine the shredded mozzarella, feta, ricotta cheeses, and onion salt or dried dill. Mix well to create a uniform cheese filling.
- Shape Dough: Divide the rested dough in half. Depending on your desired size, create 2 large or 4 smaller dough balls. Roll out one ball on a parchment-lined baking sheet into an oval shape about 9–10 inches long and 1/8 inch thick.
- Fill and Shape Khachapuri: Spread the cheese mixture in the center of the rolled dough, leaving about a ½-inch border around the edges. Roll the left and right sides of the dough inward towards the center 2–3 times until they slightly overlap above the cheese, forming the characteristic boat shape.
- Seal Edges: Pinch and twist each narrow end of the dough twice to seal and maintain the boat shape during baking.
- Apply Egg Wash and Season: Brush the exposed dough edges with a beaten egg wash to promote browning. Optionally, sprinkle Everything But The Bagel Seasoning on the wet edges for extra flavor.
- Bake the Khachapuri: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes.
- Add Egg and Butter: Remove the partially baked Khachapuri from the oven and create a shallow well in the center cheese filling. Crack one egg into the well. Dot the cheese with 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter broken into small pieces.
- Finish Baking: Return the Khachapuri to the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until the egg white is set but the yolk remains slightly runny, and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve and Garnish: Remove from oven and sprinkle with finely chopped green onions and, if desired, red pepper flakes or Trader Joe’s Chili Onion Crunch for spice. Serve warm for best gooey texture and flavor.
Notes
- You can use homemade or store-bought pizza dough depending on your preference or time constraints.
- Adjust the number of eggs depending on the number and size of Khachapuri you make.
- Everything But The Bagel Seasoning is optional but adds a nice savory touch to the crust.
- For a spicier version, use red pepper flakes or Trader Joe’s Chili Onion Crunch to taste.
- Use a convection oven if available for more even baking, but increase temperature if using a conventional oven.
- The egg should be slightly runny for authenticity; bake just until set.
- This recipe can be doubled or halved easily depending on servings needed.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Georgian
Keywords: Khachapuri, cheese bread, Georgian recipe, baked cheese bread, homemade bread, savory bread, mozzarella, feta, ricotta, traditional Georgian
