Lobiani and Hatschipuri – filled Georgian bread with beans or cheese

Ingredients for 3 servings:

• 450 g wheat flour
• 150 g corn flour
• 1 cube of yeast or 1 packet of dry yeast
• 250 ml water, room temperature
• 150 ml kefir, room temperature
• ½ tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 egg(s)
• 125g mozzarella
• 200 g feta cheese or shepherd’s cheese
• 100g Gouda
• 1 can kidney beans, approx. 220 g
• 120 g bacon cubes
• Spice mix (Chmeli Suneli), e.g. according to my recipe from the database
• savory
• Coriander seeds

Instructions

Working time approx. 45 minutes; Rest time approx. 1 hour 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 25 minutes; Total time approx. 2 hours 30 minutes

Crack the egg, separate the egg yolk and egg white. Chill! Dissolve the fresh yeast with some of the water. The dried yeast can be added directly to the flour. Weigh the flour, add salt and sugar, and mix well. If using fresh yeast, make a well, pour in the dissolved yeast, and lightly cover with flour. Carefully pour in the kefir, working it in from the outside in. Add the remaining water as needed. Knead the dough into a smooth mass. Let it rest for 30 minutes. Knead again and let it rest for another 30 minutes. Then form 6 even balls from the dough, roll them in flour, and let them rise for about 15-20 minutes. For the khopuri: Grate and mix the cheeses. Since authentic Georgian cheese is virtually unavailable here, I use the blend mentioned above, which offers a close balance of “chewiness” and “saltiness.” It’s also important to use the feta brine (3-4 tablespoons). Then thicken the mixture with the egg white, mix well, and chill. For the lobiani: Drain the beans, reserving some of the broth. Mash the beans in a bowl, add the bacon cubes. Season with salt if desired. Then mix generously with khmeli-suneli, savory, and ground coriander seeds. If necessary, add a little bean broth to make the paste more smooth. 1-2 tablespoons should be sufficient. Roll out the dough balls; the dough may be slightly thinner towards the outside. Divide the mixture into thirds and place a portion onto the rolled out dough. Flatten slightly. Pull the edges towards the center in a circle, forming small folds and pressing down. Turn over and carefully roll out to a thickness of 1-2 cm. Spread on baking sheets and brush with egg yolk. Bake at 200 degrees Celsius (convection oven) for about 20-25 minutes. Lobiami and Hatchipuri taste best when they are still warm!