Recipe of Kubdari: Georgian Meat-Filled Bread

Ingredients

• 500 g plain (all-purpose) flour
• 7 g dried baker's yeast (1 sachet)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 280 ml warm water (35-38 °C)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (30 ml)
• 300 g beef, hand-chopped into 5 mm pieces
• 200 g pork with some fat, chopped just as fine
• 2 large onions (300 g), finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1½ teaspoons Svan salt (if you don't have it: 1 teaspoon salt + ½ ground coriander + ¼ blue fenugreek + a pinch of red pepper and dried dill)
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon ground red pepper or cayenne
• 2 tablespoons ice-cold water (30 ml)
• 30 g melted butter, for brushing
• Extra flour, for rolling

Directions

1. 1

   Dissolve the yeast and sugar in 100 ml of the warm water and leave for 10 minutes until frothy; if it doesn't foam, the yeast is dead and the dough won't rise.

2. 2

   Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl, make a well in the centre and add the activated yeast, the rest of the water and the oil.

3. 3

   Knead for 10 minutes on a floured surface until the dough is smooth and elastic and stretches without tearing; if it sticks, add flour by the tablespoon.

4. 4

   Put the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a cloth and prove for 1 to 1½ hours in a warm spot, until doubled in size.

5. 5

   While it proves, mix the hand-chopped meat, onion, garlic, Svan salt, black pepper, red pepper and cold water in a bowl. Do not cook it: the meat cooks inside the oven in its own juices. Keep it covered in the fridge.

6. 6

   Preheat the oven to 230 °C with a baking tray or a pizza stone inside for at least 20 minutes.

7. 7

   Divide the dough in two, roll each piece into a 28-30 cm disc on a floured surface and leave the centre slightly thicker than the edges.

8. 8

   Spread half the filling in the centre, bring the edges up and pinch hard to seal: there must be no gaps left.

9. 9

   Flip the piece seam-side down, flatten it with your palm to 22-25 cm and poke a small hole in the centre with the tip of a knife: steam escapes there and the filling won't burst the dough.

10. 10

    Bake for 15 to 18 minutes on the hot tray, until the crust is golden with toasted spots. Repeat with the second piece.

11. 11

    Brush with melted butter as it comes out of the oven, rest for 5 minutes and cut into wedges. Eat it hot, with your hands.