Name: Khortsshibuiani (Khortsshebuiani Kada)
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 2 h 50 min
Cuisine: Georgian
Ingredients: 1,500 g strong white bread flour; 900 g whole milk, warmed to 30–35°C; 9 g instant yeast; 18 g fine salt; 1,000 g cold ground beef, about 90% lean; 200 g cultivated leek, trimmed and washed; 50 g scallions, trimmed and washed; 700 g unsalted fresh farmer-style cheese, crumbled; 28 g clarified butter; 3 g fine salt; 2 g ground black pepper; 2 L water, for boiling the alliums; drain and discard; 20 g unsalted butter, melted

A tray of golden Khevi kada pies, with a cut pastry revealing beef, leek and fresh cheese inside.

Yield10 kada pies

Serving basis1 pie, about 420 g after baking

DifficultyModerate; shaping ten filled pastries takes time

Dietary classificationContains meat; not vegetarian

Jump to recipe ↓

The dish

About Khortsshibuiani (Khortsshebuiani Kada)

Khevi-style round yeast pies filled with beef, fresh cheese and leek, prepared as a practical home rendition of a rare Alpine-leek holiday pastry.

Khortsshibuiani is a Khevi meat-and-wild-leek bread. A closely named holiday pastry, Khortsshebuiani kada, is associated with shebu (Alpine leek). Its ten-piece version combines meat, cheese, shebu and clarified butter, while leaving the dough liquid and baking time to the cook. This recipe keeps that filling combination and the 180°C oven, with measured steps for a home kitchen.

Alpine leek is rare and seasonal, so this version uses cultivated leek and scallion: an accessible, milder substitute, not the Georgian wild plant. Do not forage unidentified leaves. Cold ground beef with about 90% lean meat gives consistent portions that can be checked with a thermometer.

The ten pies are generously filled. Work the beef briefly with clarified butter and seasoning, fold in the crumbled cheese, then mix through the cooled, squeezed-dry alliums. Pinch each dough round closed and flatten it gently so the center bakes through without forcing filling out at the seam. The crust should be golden, but color alone cannot confirm that the ground beef is safe; check each center for 71.1°C.

Cook the dish

Ingredients

Full recipe

Dough

1,500 gstrong white bread flour
900 gwhole milk, warmed to 30–35°C
9 ginstant yeast
18 gfine salt

Filling

1,000 gcold ground beef, about 90% lean
200 gcultivated leek, trimmed and washed
50 gscallions, trimmed and washed
700 gunsalted fresh farmer-style cheese, crumbled
28 gclarified butter
3 gfine salt
2 gground black pepper
2 Lwater, for boiling the alliums; drain and discard

Finish

20 gunsalted butter, melted

Method

Mix and proof the dough. Stir the flour, yeast and 18 g salt together in a large bowl. Add the warm milk and knead for 8–10 minutes, until the dough is soft, elastic and only slightly tacky. Cover and leave at room temperature for about 60 minutes, until visibly expanded.
Cook and dry the alliums. Thinly slice the leek and scallions. Bring the 2 L water to a boil in a saucepan, add the alliums and simmer for 4–5 minutes, until just tender. Drain, cool under cold running water, then squeeze firmly until no liquid drips. Chop finely and set aside. Never substitute an unidentified foraged plant.
Make the filling. In a clean bowl, combine the cold ground beef, clarified butter, 3 g salt and pepper. Work them together for 2–3 minutes, then fold in the crumbled cheese and the squeezed alliums. Keep the filling refrigerated while you portion the dough.
Fill and shape. Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces, about 243 g each. Cover and rest for 10 minutes. Divide the filling into 10 equal portions, about 198 g each. Flatten each dough piece into a 16–18 cm round. Place one filling portion in the center; gather and pinch the edges closed. Turn seam-side down and gently flatten to an even 2–3 cm thickness. Arrange on the lined trays, leaving space between pies.
Bake and check. Heat a conventional oven to 180°C. Bake for 30–38 minutes, switching the trays between racks halfway if they brown unevenly. The crust should be evenly golden. Insert an instant-read thermometer into the center of each pie; the ground-beef filling must reach at least 71.1°C. Brush the tops with the melted butter and rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Excerpt

Soft yeast dough wraps a savory mixture of ground beef, crumbly fresh cheese and cooked alliums. The recipe keeps the filling and 180°C oven method described for khortsshebuiani kada, while using cultivated leek and scallion in place of hard-to-find Alpine leek.

Practical guidance

Keep the squeezed alliums dry: excess water can soften the dough from inside and make the seam harder to seal. If the dough resists stretching, cover it and let it relax for a few minutes rather than pulling it thin. Seal each pie firmly, then press only enough to make its thickness even; an overly thin center may split in the oven.

Cheese salt levels vary. This version uses unsalted fresh cheese and 3 g salt in the filling; if the available cheese is salted, use its label and do not add the filling salt without tasting a cooked sample. Use a traceable cultivated leek and scallions when Alpine leek is unavailable; the flavor will be milder and the result is a home adaptation.

Serve warm. Refrigerate leftovers within two hours in a shallow covered container at or below 4°C and eat within 3–4 days. Reheat in a 160°C oven for about 12–15 minutes, or longer as needed, until the center reaches 74°C. Use a thermometer rather than relying on a hot crust.

Nutrition per serving

Serving size: 1 kada pie, about 420 g
Calories: About 906 kcal
Carbohydrate: About 125 g
Protein: About 47 g
Fat: About 22 g
Fibre: About 4.8 g
Sodium: About 1,190 mg

These are estimates divided across ten pies. Generic food-composition values are used, with full-fat cottage cheese as an imperfect proxy for fresh Georgian-style cheese; the actual product label, salt level and baked yield can change the values.

Allergens and food safety

Contains wheat (gluten) and milk. Keep raw ground beef and its utensils away from ready-to-eat foods. Wash hands and surfaces after handling it. Bake the filling to at least 71.1°C, measured in the center of every pie with a food thermometer. Chill leftovers within two hours at or below 4°C; reheat to 74°C.

Closing notes

Expect a soft, golden yeast crust around a dense beef, cheese and leek filling.
Squeeze the alliums dry and verify the filling temperature; those two steps protect the seal and the safe finish.