Printed September 1, 2026
Georgian Cheese Bread Boats with Herb Butter and Egg
These canoe-shaped breads cradle molten cheese and a barely-set egg yolk, all enclosed in a yeasted dough that's been shaped by hand for centuries. Breaking into the center releases a flow of rich, cheesy goodness.
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup warm milk
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 cups feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 cup mozzarella, shredded
- 4 eggs
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- Flaky sea salt
Preparation
Khachapuri is Georgia's gift to the carb-loving world—a bread that's really a vessel for cheese, butter, and egg. The Adjarian version, shaped like a boat with pointed ends to hold in the molten filling, is designed for a specific eating technique: tear off pieces of the bread crust and use them to scoop the cheese-egg mixture from the center.
This is interactive breakfast food at its finest. There's no dignified way to eat it, and that's entirely the point. It's messy, rich, indulgent, and utterly satisfying in a way that distant, fork-and-knife breakfasts can never be.
Preparation
- Combine flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add warm milk and melted butter, mixing until a dough forms.
- Knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 hour until doubled.
- Meanwhile, mix the feta and mozzarella cheeses together in a bowl. Mix the softened butter with chopped dill and parsley in a separate small bowl.
- Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece into an oval about 10 inches long and 6 inches wide.
- Place a quarter of the cheese mixture in the center of each oval, leaving a 2-inch border all around.
- Fold the long sides of the dough up and over the cheese, pinching them together every inch or so to create a raised border, leaving the center exposed. Twist and pinch the two ends to create pointed tips.
- Place the boats on the prepared baking sheets and bake for 12-15 minutes until the bread is golden and the cheese is bubbling.
- Remove from oven and crack one egg into the center of each boat. Return to the oven for 3-4 minutes until the egg white is just set but the yolk is still runny.
- Remove from oven, top each boat with a tablespoon of the herb butter and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. Serve immediately.
The egg should be soft enough that when you break the yolk, it mixes with the melted cheese and herb butter to create a rich sauce. The bread should be sturdy enough to scoop but soft enough to yield easily. Eat these hot—they're significantly less appealing at room temperature.
