Name: Rachan Khachapuri
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 2 h 13 min
Cuisine: Georgian
Ingredients: 400 g bread flour, plus up to 15 g for dusting if needed; 240 ml lukewarm water (about 35–38°C); 5 g instant yeast; 5 g sugar; 6 g fine salt; 15 ml neutral oil; 400 g mild fresh, crumbly Imeretian-style cheese (chkinti if available), crumbled; drain if very wet; 5 ml neutral oil, for brushing after baking

Rectangular Rachan cheese bread on a board, with a cut piece showing the fresh cheese centre.

Yield2 rectangular breads; 4 servings

Serving1/2 bread

DifficultyIntermediate

DietContains wheat (gluten) and milk

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The dish

About Rachan Khachapuri

Golden rectangular Georgian cheese bread with a soft, fresh-cheese centre.

Rachan khachapuri is a family of cheese breads from Racha, with regional forms that include rectangles, squares, triangles and rounds. This practical home version uses a rectangular, yeast-raised dough and a mild fresh cheese filling, so it bakes into a tender loaf with a browned crust.

The dough is sealed around the cheese and gently flattened before baking. If you can find fresh Imeretian chkinti cheese, use it; a mild, crumbly fresh cheese also works. Cheese moisture and salt vary, so drain very wet cheese and taste it before deciding whether to change anything.

This version is inspired by the rectangular leavened cheese-bread form associated with Racha. It is a home adaptation rather than a claim to reproduce one family's stamped or ceremonial bread. Serve it warm, cut into generous wedges or squares.

Cook the dish

Ingredients

Rachan Khachapuri

Yeast dough

400 gbread flour, plus up to 15 g for dusting if needed
240 mllukewarm water (about 35–38°C)
5 ginstant yeast
5 gsugar
6 gfine salt
15 mlneutral oil

Cheese filling and finish

400 gmild fresh, crumbly Imeretian-style cheese (chkinti if available), crumbled; drain if very wet
5 mlneutral oil, for brushing after baking

Method

Mix the dough. Combine the lukewarm water, yeast and sugar in a large bowl. Add the flour, 6 g salt and 15 ml oil. Mix to a rough dough, then knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Use a little of the reserved flour only if the dough is very sticky.
Let it rise. Shape the dough into a ball, cover the bowl and leave it in a warm, draft-free place for about 60 minutes, until visibly expanded.
Prepare the cheese and divide. Crumble the cheese into a bowl and check its saltiness. Divide the risen dough into two equal pieces. Shape each into a ball, cover and rest for 15 minutes so it rolls without springing back.
Fill the breads. On a lightly floured surface, flatten one dough ball into a disc about 20 cm across. Put half the cheese in the centre, gather the edges over it and pinch the seam firmly shut. Turn seam-side down and gently roll or press into a rectangle about 20 × 15 cm. Repeat with the remaining dough and cheese. Keep the edges intact so the filling stays enclosed.
Heat the oven. While shaping, preheat a conventional oven to 230°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment and place the breads seam-side down, leaving space between them. Make a few shallow fork marks in the top without piercing through to the cheese.
Bake and finish. Bake for 14–18 minutes, rotating the sheet once if your oven browns unevenly, until the breads are puffed and deep golden. The cheese should be hot throughout. Brush the tops with 5 ml oil while warm and rest for 5 minutes before cutting.
Store leftovers safely. Cool promptly and refrigerate in a shallow covered container within 2 hours, at or below 4°C. Use within 3–4 days and reheat the centre to 74°C.

Practical guidance

Tips for success

Use lukewarm, not hot, water so the yeast can work steadily.
Crumble the cheese evenly. If it is very wet, drain it briefly so the filling does not leak through the seam.
Pinch the seam fully closed and place it underneath before flattening the bread gently into a rectangle.

Practical notes

Cheese substitutions. Fresh Imeretian cheese gives a soft, gently tangy filling. If unavailable, combine low-moisture mozzarella with a smaller amount of mild feta for a similar stretchy-salty balance. Since substitutes differ in salt, taste before using; the recipe needs no extra filling salt.

Sealing and shaping. If a seam starts to split, pinch it closed and let the dough rest for 5 minutes before continuing. Keep the dough only lightly floured so it seals rather than sliding apart.

Nutrition per serving

Estimated nutrition per serving

Serving size: 1/2 bread, one-quarter of the batch
Energy: About 710 kcal
Carbohydrates: About 83 g
Protein: About 34 g
Fat: About 25 g
Fibre: About 3 g
Sodium: About 1,260 mg

Allergens and food safety

Contains wheat (gluten) and milk. Check ingredient labels for cross-contact. Keep fresh cheese refrigerated until use. Refrigerate leftovers in a shallow covered container within 2 hours at or below 4°C, use within 3–4 days and reheat to 74°C at the centre.

The result

Two tender rectangular breads with a well-browned crust and a soft, savoury cheese centre.
Gentle geometric shaping nods to Racha's distinctive range of cheese-bread forms.