Mchadi with Sulguni

The story

Mchadi with Sulguni is a Georgian starter with a clear sense of place. Mchadi is a western Georgian maize bread linked particularly with regions where corn became an important staple after its arrival from the Americas. It is often paired with beans, cheese or vegetable dishes. The recipe below keeps the defining ingredients and technique intact while giving practical metric quantities and enough detail for a home cook to judge texture, seasoning and doneness rather than simply follow a timer.

Ingredients

• 300 g fine cornmeal
• 300 ml warm waterapproximately
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 30 ml neutral oil
• 250 g sulguni or mozzarella-feta blendsliced

Method

1. Mix the cornmeal and salt

   Mix the cornmeal and salt. Add warm water gradually, squeezing the mixture in your hand until it forms a soft mouldable dough that does not crumble at the edges.

   Look for: it forms a soft mouldable dough that does not crumble at the edges Tip: Judge the water by feel: the dough should compress cleanly in your fist without squeezing out water. Avoid: Too-dry dough crumbles; very fine polenta cooked like porridge is not the same; low pan heat gives greasy pale breads.

2. Divide into six pieces and shape into

   Divide into six pieces and shape into thick oval patties about 1.5 cm deep. Smooth cracks with wet fingers; large cracks widen during frying.

3. Heat half the oil in a heavy

   Heat half the oil in a heavy frying pan over medium heat. Add three mchadi and fry for 4–5 minutes until the underside is deeply golden and a firm crust has formed.

   Look for: the underside is deeply golden and a firm crust has formed

4. Turn carefully, add a little more oil

   Turn carefully, add a little more oil around the edges and cook another 4–5 minutes. Repeat with the remaining patties.

5. Stand the cooked breads on their edges

   Stand the cooked breads on their edges for a minute so steam escapes and the crust does not soften against the plate.

6. Serve hot with thick slices of sulguni

   Serve hot with thick slices of sulguni or the mozzarella-feta alternative; diners can bite cheese and bread together or tuck cheese into split mchadi.

   Look for: The crust is deep gold and firm while the centre is hot, moist and cooked through rather than powdery.

Nutrition

per serving

Estimated from the listed ingredients and default serving size. Actual values vary with brands, trimming, absorption and cooking losses.