This pizza-like speciality has controversial origins

The dish: Khachapuri, Georgia

Khachapuri Adjarian style, with cheese and egg. Credit: Getty Images

Plate up

The “sell” on khachapuri is an easy one. Even if you have no knowledge of Georgian cuisine whatsoever, when you hear you’re being offered very good bread either topped or filled with cheese, you think: yes, I will eat that. Because at its most basic, that’s what khachapuri is. Bread with cheese. Like a classic toasted sandwich, but round and chewy; or like a pizza, but without the tomato.

Spend a bit of time in Georgia, however, and you discover that khachapuri changes depending on the region you’re in. Probably the most famous version is Adjarian khachapuri, shaped like a boat, its bready hull filled with cheese, butter and an egg yolk. But then there’s also Imeretian khachapuri, round and filled with salty cheese; Megrelian, with extra cheese on top; Gurian, folded in half like a calzone; and Ossetian, with a potato-and-cheese filling. All are hearty, filling, salty and delicious.

First serve

Three divergent theories about the invention of khachapuri call into question the very Georgian-ness of the dish. The first is the most controversial: that khachapuri is an adaptation of pizza, the idea having been brought to Georgia by Roman soldiers. The next theory is that khachapuri was invented, absent Roman concepts, during the 12th century, a time known as the Georgian renaissance. And finally, the most popular theory: that Georgians have been eating cheese-filled bread for thousands of years, long before anyone ever thought to write down a recipe.

Order there

Almost every meal in Georgia involves khachapuri of some kind, so it isn’t hard to find. In the capital, Tbilisi, try the excellent versions at Retro (1 Davit Gamrekeli Street).

Order here

In Melbourne, try khachapuri at Umbrella Lounge Bar in Elsternwick (umbrellaloungebar.com). There are no dedicated Georgian restaurants in Sydney, but you can call into Georgian-owned Marani Deli in Newtown (maranideli.com.au) to buy some cheese and get tips on making your own khachapuri.

One more thing

Khachapuri is such a crucial component of Georgian cuisine that the dish has been recognised by UNESCO as part of the country’s intangible culture. It’s also used to measure inflation in Georgia, with a national “khachapuri index” tracking the cost of its classic ingredients.