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Mushrooms on Ketsi

Make Georgian soko ketsze with button mushrooms, butter and melted sulguni, baked in a clay-style pan

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A shallow clay pan of Georgian mushrooms with melted, browned sulguni cheese.
Yield4 servings
Serving basisOne-quarter of the finished dish
DifficultyEasy
DietVegetarian; contains milk
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The dish

About Mushrooms on Ketsi

Tender baked mushrooms and melted sulguni come together in a shallow clay-style pan for a simple Georgian table dish.

Soko ketsze means mushrooms cooked on a ketsi, a shallow clay pan that can move from oven to table when its maker rates it for that use. Mushroom dishes are part of Georgian cooking, and recipes for this one commonly pair mushrooms with butter and sulguni.

There is no single fixed home formula in the sources: some cooks leave small caps whole, others remove stems or cut larger mushrooms, and cheese amounts vary. This measured version keeps the mushrooms in one loose layer and adds sulguni after they have begun to soften, so the cheese melts without obscuring the mushroom texture.

The cold-oven start is a practical home adaptation for an oven-rated dish whose thermal-shock tolerance may be unknown. Use a ketsi only as its maker directs; traditional vessels and heating methods vary. The result is best served as soon as the cheese is melted and spotted gold.

Cook the dish

Ingredients

Soko Ketsze (სოკო კეცზე): Georgian Mushrooms with Sulguni

Ingredients

  • 800 gbutton mushrooms, wiped clean; leave small ones whole and halve larger ones
  • 300 gsulguni cheese, coarsely grated
  • 80 gunsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • 3 gfine salt, less if the cheese is very salty
  • 1 gground black pepper, optional for serving
Method

Method

  1. Prepare the ingredients. Heat the oven to 220°C. Wipe the mushrooms clean rather than soaking them. Leave small mushrooms whole and halve larger ones. Coarsely grate the sulguni and cut the butter into small pieces.

  2. Arrange the mushrooms. Put the mushrooms in one loose layer in a room-temperature, shallow oven-rated ketsi or baking dish. Scatter the butter and salt over them. Avoid crowding; use a wider dish if necessary.

  3. Bake the mushrooms. Place the dish in the cold oven, set it to 220°C and bake for about 18 minutes from switching on. The mushrooms should soften and release some juices. If your oven reaches temperature unusually quickly, begin checking after 12 minutes.

  4. Add the cheese. Wearing oven mitts, carefully remove the hot dish and scatter the grated sulguni evenly over the mushrooms.

  5. Finish baking. Return the dish to the oven for 10–12 minutes, until the cheese is melted with a few golden patches and the mushrooms are tender when pierced. Do not leave the dish unattended under a grill.

  6. Serve. Set the hot dish on a heatproof trivet and serve immediately, with black pepper if desired. Refrigerate leftovers in a shallow container within 2 hours at or below 4°C; use within 3–4 days and reheat to 74°C at the centre.

Practical guidance

Tips for success

  • Choose small mushrooms that can stay whole and halve only the larger ones; similar sizes cook more evenly.
  • Grate the sulguni coarsely so it melts over the mushrooms instead of forming a dense layer.
  • Check cookware instructions. Do not use a cracked dish or move a cold clay vessel directly into a hot oven unless its maker explicitly permits it.
Practical notes

Practical notes

Cookware. A ketsi gives the dish its name and serving character, but clay vessels differ. Check the maker’s oven and heating guidance and avoid thermal shock. An intact, oven-rated shallow baking dish is a practical substitute.

Cheese and salt. Sulguni supplies the characteristic salty, elastic melt. Taste the cheese before seasoning. If it is particularly salty, reduce the added salt. If sulguni is unavailable, a blend of low-moisture mozzarella and a little feta can work, though the result will not taste identical.

Storage and reheating. Cool leftovers promptly, refrigerate within 2 hours at or below 4°C, and use within 3–4 days. Reheat until the centre reaches 74°C. The cheese may release some oil after reheating.

Nutrition per serving

Estimated nutrition per serving

  • Serving size: One-quarter of the dish
  • Energy: About 410 kcal
  • Carbohydrates: About 7 g
  • Protein: About 25 g
  • Fat: About 32 g
  • Fibre: About 2 g
  • Sodium: About 1,050 mg

These are estimates for the stated ingredients. Sulguni varies by producer, especially in salt and fat, so actual values may differ.

Allergens and food safety

Allergens and food safety

Contains milk. Check cheese labels and prevent cross-contact. Use cultivated edible button mushrooms; never use wild mushrooms unless identified by a qualified expert. Use only intact cookware rated for oven use and follow its maker’s temperature instructions. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours at or below 4°C, keep for no more than 3–4 days, and reheat to 74°C at the centre.

The result

The result

  • Soft, juicy mushrooms are covered with salty, melted sulguni and served straight from the pan.
  • Adding the cheese after the mushrooms start releasing their juices helps it melt and brown without overcooking the topping.
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