Khachapuri

Khachapuri is a traditional Georgian bread filled with cheese, and it exists in many regional shapes. The most celebrated is Adjaruli khachapuri, an open boat of dough filled with bubbling melted cheese and finished with a soft egg yolk and a knob of butter.

At the table the egg, butter and cheese are stirred together into a rich molten pool, and pieces are torn from the golden crust and dipped in. It is indulgent, comforting and deeply satisfying.

Khachapuri is a cornerstone of Georgian cuisine and hospitality, with distinct versions across the country's regions — from the round Imeruli to the boat-shaped Adjaruli of the Black Sea coast. The word combines the Georgian for 'cheese' and 'bread'.

So central is it to daily life that Georgia has an informal 'khachapuri index' tracking its cost as a measure of inflation. It is a national symbol, served at celebrations and everyday meals alike.