Penovani Khachapuri – Georgian Puff Pastry Cheese Bread

Ingredients:

Preparation mode:

👉 Penovani khachapuri is the flaky, quick version of Georgia’s famous cheese bread. Instead of a soft yeast dough, ready puff pastry (penovani means ‘foamy’ or ‘flaky’ in Georgian) is wrapped around a filling of salty imeruli or sulguni cheese, folded into a square envelope and baked until it puffs up into golden, buttery layers. You will find it in every bakery and roadside stand in Georgia, eaten warm for breakfast or as a snack with tea – and at home it takes only about 15 minutes of work.

How to Make Penovani Khachapuri

1. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 200°C (390°F) and line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Make the filling. Mix the grated cheese with the egg and soft butter until it holds together. Divide into 4 portions and shape each into a flat ball.
3. Cut the pastry. Lightly dust the work surface with flour. Roll each pastry sheet out slightly and cut into squares of about 15 × 15 cm – you need 4 squares.
4. Fill and fold. Put a portion of cheese in the centre of each square. Fold the four corners to the middle, like an envelope, and press the edges together, leaving a small opening in the centre so steam can escape.
5. Brush. Put the khachapuri on the tray, brush with the egg yolk and milk and sprinkle with sesame or nigella seeds if you like.
6. Bake. Bake for 20–25 minutes until puffed and deep golden and the cheese is bubbling in the middle.
7. Rest and serve. Let rest for 5–10 minutes, then serve warm with tea, matsoni or a fresh Georgian tomato and cucumber salad.

Tips for the Best Penovani Khachapuri

• Keep the pastry cold – warm puff pastry won’t rise into flaky layers.
• Use a salty Georgian-style cheese; mild mozzarella alone tastes flat.
• Leave the small hole in the middle open, or the cheese will burst out of the sides.

FAQ

What does penovani mean?
Penovani (პენოვანი) means ‘flaky’ or ‘foamy’ in Georgian and refers to the puff pastry used instead of the classic yeast dough.

What is the difference between penovani and imeruli khachapuri?
Imeruli khachapuri is a round flatbread made with soft yeast dough, while penovani khachapuri is made with layered puff pastry and folded into an envelope, so it is crisp and flaky.

Can I use store-bought puff pastry?
Yes – most Georgian home cooks use ready-made puff pastry. All-butter or yeast puff pastry gives the best flavour.

👉 More Georgian cheese breads: imeruli khachapuri, megruli khachapuri, Adjarian khachapuri and the layered achma. Read about the cheese in our sulguni cheese guide and about all Georgian breads in Georgian bread.

Footnotes:

No Georgian cheese? Mix 200 g mozzarella with 100 g feta (rinse the feta if it is very salty) – this is the closest everyday substitute for imeruli and sulguni.
Penovani khachapuri is best warm, 10 minutes out of the oven. Reheat leftovers at 180°C for 5–7 minutes so the pastry crisps again.