Khachapuri is so essential to the cuisine of Georgia—the country, not the state—that the country uses a “Khachapuri Index” as a measure of the strength of the economy there. So what is this essential culinary creation? Also known as Georgian Cheese Bread, it’s a yeasted dough that is folded and twisted into a variety of shapes, then filled with a mixture of cheeses and often topped with an egg yolk. In other words, this spiritual cousin of pizzas and other flatbreads is insanely delicious and incredibly easy to make at home. Nailing the shape—and ensuring that your fillings don’t run out of your dough all over the oven—does require some finesse, so join guest chef Bonnie Morales, author of “Kachka” and head chef at the Portland, Oregon restaurant of the same name, to learn the tricks of the trade. Bonnie will show you how to make and shape the dough to make the iconic adjaruli eye-shaped pie as well as a more simple imeruli shape. Additionally, we will make lobiani, a bean-based cousin of khachapuri from Racha, a northern province of the country. Bonnie also will show a nontraditional spin-off spinach artichoke filling, proving how versatile khachapuri can be.
