Imeretian Khachapuri Recipe

Put baking soda in a warm sourdough pan and mix well with a spoon. You will see how the mass will begin to foam and release bubbles (the reaction of soda and matsonic acid). Let stand for 7 minutes. Sift flour, dry yeast, salt into a large bowl, make a pit in the middle and pour the foamed matsoni mass. Start kneading the dough with gentle movements. The dough should come out as soft as possible, even slightly sticky (adding excess flour is categorically forbidden so that the khachapuri does not harden). Once you have a homogeneous mass, slowly, in three stages, pour in the melted warm butter and knead again until the dough has fully absorbed the butter. This technique ensures a delicate structure of the dough after baking. Cover the dough with cling film and leave at room temperature for 30-40 minutes.

Grind the Imeretian cheese well by hand (or grate it on a large grater), mix the egg and 30 g of soft butter. Divide the cohesive cheese mass into 4 equal parts. Divide the rested and slightly puffed dough into 4 equal parts. Gently roll the teams by hand into a circle about 20 cm in diameter and place the cheese mass in the center, gently lift the edges of the dough upwards, wrap your head around the cheese and press firmly into the center. Turn the khachapuri with the seam down and palms, gently lying down from the center to the edges, rolling the khachapuri to the size of a pan. (The cheese should be evenly distributed from the inside to the edges). Place in a well-heated pan and bake over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes per side. Once removed, sprinkle the surface generously with butter and serve deliciously.