Usually sold as a compact, handheld street food, this version of Georgian khachapuri (cheese bread!) is made with shattering crisp pastry. While my family often makes it as a sheet-pan pie, we also love to make these cute as-can-be individual pockets! What’s best is that you can even make them ahead of time, freeze, and then bake off as needed aka right when guests arrive. Nothing more impressive than golden pastry straight from the oven!

BTW, if you’re in Seattle, I’ll be teaching this dish, along with chakhapuli (lamb brasied in white wine, sour plums, and tarragon) and pkhali (vegetable pate) as part of my Georgian Spring Supra class at Book Larder on May 16th, at 6:30pm. Hope to see you there!

Penovani Khachapuri

Makes 18 pastries - can easily be halved!

Ingredients

One 17.3 oz package puff pastry, defrosted but chilled, such as Pepperidge Farm
1 lb (4 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese
4 oz (scant 1 cup) feta cheese, crumbled
4 oz whole milk ricotta
1 egg, lightly beaten

1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 tbsp heavy cream, milk, or water for egg wash (if making individual pockets)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, mix to combine cheeses and one egg. In a small bowl, combine the other egg and heavy cream and set aside.

On a lightly floured surface, roll 1 puff pastry sheet into an even 12 in square. Cut into nine smaller squares and roll them out again. 

Place 1 to 2 Tbsp filling into the center of each square. Take one corner and fold it over the filling. Egg wash the dough. Repeat with remaining corners of dough.  Transfer pastries to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining squares and other puff pastry sheet. 

Refrigerate the assembled pastries to firm up the dough, about 10 to 15 minutes. Covered and refrigerated, they can keep for a few hours. At this point, they can also be freezed for up to 3 months.

When ready to bake, brush each pastry with egg wash. Cut small vents into the pastries to allow steam to escape while baking. Bake the pastries until they are puffed up and golden brown and firm to the touch, about 15 to 20 minutes (allow for a few extra minutes if baking from frozen). Let sit for 5 minutes before serving!