Holidays & Special Occasions
Khachapuri Acharuli (Adjaran Boat-Shaped Cheese Bread)
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- 500 g (4 cups) plain flour
- 7 g (1 packet) instant yeast
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 300 ml (1.25 cups) warm milk or water
- 30 ml (2 tbsp) sunflower oil
- 450 g (16 oz) sulguni or imeretian cheese, grated (or a mix of mozzarella and feta)
- 2 large eggs (one per boat, for the finishing touch)
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, cubed
Method
- Combine flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a bowl. Add warm milk and oil, and knead into a smooth dough for 8-10 minutes. Cover and let rise for 1 hour until doubled.
- Divide the dough into 2 portions and roll each into an oval shape about 30cm long.
- Spread grated cheese generously down the centre of each oval, leaving a border, and fold and twist the edges up into pointed boat shapes, pinching the ends firmly to seal.
- Transfer to a baking tray and bake at 220°C (425°F) for 15 minutes until the dough is golden and the cheese is bubbling.
- Remove from the oven and immediately crack one egg into the molten cheese centre of each boat.
- Return to the oven for 2-3 minutes only, just until the egg white is barely set but the yolk remains runny.
- Top each boat with a cube of butter and serve immediately, instructing diners to stir the egg and butter into the cheese before tearing off pieces of crust to dip.
Introduction: Distinct from the round Imeretian khachapuri, the Adjaran version is shaped like a boat, filled with cheese and finished at the table with a raw egg cracked into the molten centre and a knob of butter stirred through — a dramatic, celebratory presentation reserved for special gatherings and restaurant showpieces.
Cultural Background: Distinct from the round Imeretian khachapuri, the Adjaran version is shaped like a boat, filled with cheese and finished at the table with a raw egg cracked into the molten centre and a knob of butter stirred through — a dramatic, celebratory presentation reserved for special gatherings and restaurant showpieces.
Tips: Serve Acharuli Khachapuri the moment it leaves the oven — the raw egg needs the residual heat of the cheese to finish cooking at the table.
Variations: Some restaurants use two eggs per boat for a richer finish; a version popular in Batum adds a sprinkle of nigella seeds over the crust before baking.
Storage: Best eaten fresh; not recommended for storing once the egg has been added.
Reheating: Not recommended once assembled with egg; the dough alone (before the egg step) can be reheated in a 180°C (350°F) oven for 8-10 minutes.
Nutrition: Approx. 460 kcal, 20 g protein, 26 g fat, 36 g carbohydrate per serving.
FAQs:
Q: Is the egg fully cooked in Acharuli Khachapuri?
A: No, it's traditionally left runny so it can be stirred into the hot cheese at the table; those concerned about raw egg can bake it a little longer.
Q: Why is it boat-shaped?
A: The shape is said to represent a boat and an oar, reflecting Adjara's Black Sea coastal identity, distinct from the round Imeretian style.
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