Khachapuri bread filled with cheese and meat

Khachapuri is a traditional Georgian dish consisting of bread filled with cheese and a cracked egg on top of the bread. Khachapuri filling and cooking method vary by region. This recipe can be made with two variations of bread dough and filling.

Khachapuri with cheese (all purpose flour dough)

Flaxseed, whole wheat khachapuri with meat and cheese filling

Ingredients:

Dough
2 teaspoons dry yeast
1/4 cup water - lukewarm
1 cup milk
1/2 cup melted butter
400 grams whole wheat flour OR 450 grams unbleached all purpose flour
50 grams freshly ground flax seed for nutty flavor (optional)
1 teaspoon sea salt

Filling
200 grams shredded cheese of your choice (Cheddar, Gouda, Munster, Berliner, etc.)
Fresh herbs
OR
400 grams ground beef, chicken
1 teaspoon finely cut fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
pepper and salt to taste

Directions:

Dough
Place yeast in 1/4 cup of lukewarm water, cover with a plastic wrap and let dissolve for 5 minutes at room temperature.  Melt butter in a saucepan with a cup of milk and simmer over low heat. Place flour, salt, and ground flaxseed (optional) in a large mixing bowl and whisk lightly. Add melted butter/milk and mix gently with spatula or by hand. Then add dissolved yeast and continue to mix by hand until dough has smooth texture and can be formed into a ball. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rest in a warm corner in the kitchen for 30 minutes. Knead the dough one more time gently for 1-2 minutes and let it proof for 1 hour or until it doubles in size.

Filling
Cheese - Shred/cut into small pieces cheese of your choice or combination of different cheeses, add some finely ground fresh herbs like basil, dill weed, or green onion. Keep it in the refrigerator while dough is rising.

Meat - Heat a pan with some olive oil or preferred cooking oil. Spread ground beef on the pan and sprinkle salt, pepper, cumin or thyme leaves on top. Cover with a lid and let it cook for 5 minutes over medium heat. Mix and cook for a few minutes without lid, to allow any accumulated liquid to evaporate. Allow to cool before placing inside the dough.

Assembling
Place dough on a lightly floured working surface. Separate into 4 smaller pieces and shape into balls. Roll to a 2-3mm thick circle. Place meat or cheese in the middle of cut dough pieces and bring one side of dough over the other. Press the edges with fork to seal. Place onto a baking sheet and let rest for 10 minutes before baking. Brush surfaces with egg yolk (optional). Bake at 380F/200C for 20-25 minutes until lightly brown.

Happy baking!