Dense yeasted bread stuffed with heavily spiced ground meat, baked until golden, a specialty from Georgia's mountainous Svaneti region.
Georgian Kubdari is a real, traditional Georgian dish, known as Svan Meat-Stuffed Bread. Dense yeasted bread stuffed with heavily spiced ground meat, baked until golden, a specialty from Georgia's mountainous Svaneti region.\n\nKubdari originates from Svaneti, a remote mountainous region of Georgia known for its distinctive spice blend called svanuri marili, traditionally used to season the meat filling of this hearty stuffed bread.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Georgian home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.
Serves 6
Mix flour, yeast, sugar and salt, then stir in warm water and oil until a soft dough forms. Knead for 8 minutes, then rise covered for 1 hour.
Combine ground meat, diced onion, svanuri marili and chili flakes, mixing thoroughly.
Divide the risen dough into 6 portions, flatten each into a disc, place a generous mound of filling in the center, and gather the edges up to seal completely.
Gently flatten each filled ball into a round disc about 15 cm across, being careful not to tear the dough or let filling escape.
Place on a baking sheet, brush with egg wash, and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 20 to 25 minutes until deeply golden.
Serve warm, cut into wedges.
Seal the dough completely around the meat filling before flattening, or the filling will burst through during baking.
Svanuri marili is a distinctive, pungent spice blend — use a genuine version if possible for the most authentic flavor.
Let the bread cool slightly before cutting to allow the juicy filling to set a bit.
Some households add fresh herbs to the filling for extra freshness.
A version using only beef, without pork, is common for those avoiding pork.
Serve with a simple tomato salad on the side for a full meal.
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.
Kubdari originates from Svaneti, a remote mountainous region of Georgia known for its distinctive spice blend called svanuri marili, traditionally used to season the meat filling of this hearty stuffed bread.
A pungent Svan spice blend of salt, garlic, coriander, fenugreek and other spices; Georgian grocery stores may carry it, or approximate it by mixing salt with garlic powder, ground coriander and a touch of ground fenugreek.
The dough wasn't sealed tightly enough around the filling — pinch the edges firmly closed before flattening.
Yes, assemble and refrigerate unbaked kubdari for a few hours, or freeze for up to a month; bake fresh, adding extra time if baking from frozen.
Per serving (280g / 9.9 oz) · 6 servings total
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