Georgian Adjaruli Khachapuri: Cheesy Bread Boats with Egg
Adjaruli khachapuri is Georgia's iconic cheese bread, shaped into a golden boat and filled with a lake of molten, salty cheese. Just before serving, a jammy egg and a knob of butter get swirled through the middle, so every torn piece of crust scoops up something rich and gooey. It looks showstopping but comes together with store-bought dough in about 35 minutes.
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Adjaruli khachapuri is Georgia's iconic cheese bread, shaped into a golden boat and filled with a lake of molten, salty cheese. Just before serving, a jammy egg and a knob of butter get swirled through the middle, so every torn piece of crust scoops up something rich and gooey. It looks showstopping but comes together with store-bought dough in about 35 minutes.
The magic is in the contrast: a chewy, blistered crust holding a pool of stretchy, salty cheese, with a soft egg yolk and melting butter to make everything luxuriously rich. It is Georgia's ultimate comfort food, and it works just as well for a lazy weekend brunch as it does for a cozy dinner.
Step-by-step instructions
On a floured surface, roll each piece of dough into an oval about 10 inches long. Fold the long sides inward to form a raised rim, then pinch and twist the ends together to make a boat shape.
Toss the grated mozzarella and crumbled feta together, then pile the cheese generously into each dough boat. Brush the exposed rim with a little beaten egg and drizzle with olive oil.
Bake on a hot tray at 475F (245C) for 15 to 18 minutes, until the crust is deep golden and the cheese is bubbling and molten.
Pull the boats out and quickly make a small well in the center of the cheese. Slide a raw egg into each well and dot with the butter, then return to the oven for 2 to 3 minutes so the whites just set but the yolk stays runny.
Scatter with flaky salt and parsley. Serve straight away, swirling the jammy yolk and butter through the hot cheese before tearing off pieces of crust to dip.
Khachapuri is meant to be shared and eaten with your hands while it is still molten, so bring the boats to the table the moment the eggs go in. Tear, swirl, dip, repeat. It is pure cozy comfort, and once you see how easy the boat shape is, it will be on regular rotation.
Ingredients
- 1 lb store-bought pizza dough, halved and at room temperature
- 2 cups low-moisture mozzarella, coarsely grated
- 3/4 cup feta, crumbled
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1 tbsp olive oil, plus more for the bowl
- 1/2 tsp flaky sea salt
- Flat-leaf parsley, chopped, to garnish
Step-by-Step
- 1
On a floured surface, roll each piece of dough into an oval about 10 inches long. Fold the long sides inward to form a raised rim, then pinch and twist the ends together to make a boat shape.
- 2
Toss the grated mozzarella and crumbled feta together, then pile the cheese generously into each dough boat. Brush the exposed rim with a little beaten egg and drizzle with olive oil.
- 3
Bake on a hot tray at 475F (245C) for 15 to 18 minutes, until the crust is deep golden and the cheese is bubbling and molten.
- 4
Pull the boats out and quickly make a small well in the center of the cheese. Slide a raw egg into each well and dot with the butter, then return to the oven for 2 to 3 minutes so the whites just set but the yolk stays runny.
- 5
Scatter with flaky salt and parsley. Serve straight away, swirling the jammy yolk and butter through the hot cheese before tearing off pieces of crust to dip.
Recipe
Georgian Adjaruli Khachapuri: Cheesy Bread Boats with Egg
Ingredients
- 1 lb store-bought pizza dough, halved and at room temperature
- 2 cups low-moisture mozzarella, coarsely grated
- 3/4 cup feta, crumbled
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1 tbsp olive oil, plus more for the bowl
- 1/2 tsp flaky sea salt
- Flat-leaf parsley, chopped, to garnish
Instructions
- 1
On a floured surface, roll each piece of dough into an oval about 10 inches long. Fold the long sides inward to form a raised rim, then pinch and twist the ends together to make a boat shape.
- 2
Toss the grated mozzarella and crumbled feta together, then pile the cheese generously into each dough boat. Brush the exposed rim with a little beaten egg and drizzle with olive oil.
- 3
Bake on a hot tray at 475F (245C) for 15 to 18 minutes, until the crust is deep golden and the cheese is bubbling and molten.
- 4
Pull the boats out and quickly make a small well in the center of the cheese. Slide a raw egg into each well and dot with the butter, then return to the oven for 2 to 3 minutes so the whites just set but the yolk stays runny.
- 5
Scatter with flaky salt and parsley. Serve straight away, swirling the jammy yolk and butter through the hot cheese before tearing off pieces of crust to dip.
Nutrition Facts
* The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.