Imeruli Khachapuri

Imeruli Khachapuri

The Imeretian version is a round, closed khachapuri: a ball of dough filled with cheese, pinched shut, flattened and baked until the crust is speckled. Unlike adjaruli, it has no visible egg and is cut into triangles like a pizza.

Prep time: 35 minutes · Rising and resting: 70 minutes · Baking: 16–18 minutes · Yield: 2 pies, 6 servings · Difficulty: medium

Flatten from the center without tearing

After sealing the cheese inside the dough, don’t roll it out forcefully. Press with your palms from the center outward, flip and repeat. That way the cheese reaches the edges and the pressure doesn’t tear any one spot.

Ingredients (for 2 pies)

• 600 grams white flour
• 7 grams dry yeast, 8 grams sugar and 12 grams salt
• 200 grams plain 3% yogurt
• 220 ml lukewarm water
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 450 grams grated low-moisture mozzarella
• 250 grams crumbled 16% feta
• 200 grams 5% ricotta, drained
• 1 egg for the cheese mixture
• 20 grams butter for brushing

Choosing ingredients and substitutes

Sulguni or Imeretian cheese from a Georgian deli is the original choice. With the local blend, don’t add salt before tasting the feta. Yogurt gives softness and tang; plain eshel (an Israeli cultured milk) can replace it at the same weight.

Method

1. Make the dough. Mix the flour, yeast and sugar. Add the yogurt, water and oil and knead for 8 minutes. Add the salt and knead for another 2 minutes.
2. Rise. Cover for 60 minutes, until clearly risen. Heat the oven with an upside-down sheet pan to 240°C (465°F).
3. Make the filling. Mix the cheeses and egg and divide into two compact balls. Divide the dough in two as well.
4. Fill. Open each piece into a 25 cm round, place a ball of cheese in the center, lift the edges and pinch firmly over it. Set seam side down for 10 minutes.
5. Flatten. Press gradually into a 30–32 cm round. Make a tiny hole in the center to release steam.
6. Bake. Bake each pie for 8–9 minutes, flip carefully and bake for another 7–9 minutes until browned spots appear. Brush with butter and let rest 5 minutes.

Nutrition facts and calorie estimate

The recipe yields two generous pies, three diners per pie. If you cut each pie into six triangles and serve one triangle, that is about 420 calories.

Variations and tips

• Liquid around the cheese creates steam pockets and tears; drain the ricotta and any wet mozzarella.
• If the dough springs back, let it rest 10 minutes and continue instead of fighting the gluten.
• It is best hot, but you can reheat it for 6 minutes at 190°C (375°F).

Summary

A good imeruli is relatively thin, filled to the edges and not doughy in the center. One sixth of the recipe is a meal of about 840 calories; a small triangle is about half that. See also adjaruli khachapuri and the rest of Georgian cuisine.