Kubdari

An iconic stuffed bread from Svaneti, Kubdari hides a filling of hand-chopped meat, onion, garlic, and warm spices inside a golden dough. It is served piping hot, cut into wedges, featuring a soft crust and a highly aromatic filling.

Ingredients

  • 500 g T55 all-purpose wheat flour
  • 260 ml warm water
  • 7 g active dry yeast
  • 8 g fine salt
  • 2 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 350 g beef for grinding or coarsely ground beef
  • 250 g boneless pork shoulder
  • 1 piece yellow onion
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 2 tbsp homemade Svan spice blend
  • 1 pinch ground black pepper
  • 25 g unsalted butter

Method

  1. Mix the flour, yeast, and salt, then incorporate the warm water and oil until a soft dough forms; knead until it becomes smooth and elastic under your hands.
  2. Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place until it is puffed and light, without waiting for it to deflate.
  3. Meanwhile, hand-chop the pork shoulder into small dice if it is not already chopped, then mix it with the beef to maintain a juicy texture rather than a compact filling.
  4. Grate or very finely chop the onion and garlic, add them to the meat along with the Svan spice blend and pepper; knead briefly, just enough for the filling to become sticky and fragrant.
  5. Punch down the dough, divide it into four portions, then roll out each portion into a disk that is thick in the center and thinner around the edges.
  6. Place the filling in the center of each disk, bring the edges up like a pouch, pinch carefully to enclose the meat, then flip it seam-side down.
  7. Gently flatten each stuffed bread with your palm until you have an even round; make a small opening in the center to let the steam escape.
  8. Bake on a hot baking sheet in a well-preheated oven until the crust is golden, puffed, and firm to the touch, smelling of toasted bread and spices.
  9. Immediately brush with melted butter, cover for a few moments with a clean kitchen towel to soften the crust, then serve in wedges while the filling is still piping hot and juicy.

Nutrition

Per serving

Energy
813.6 kcal
Protein
43.13 g
Carbohydrate
95.38 g
Fat
28.03 g
Fibre
5.73 g
Calcium
31.54 mg
Iron
1.31 mg
Magnesium
35.14 mg
Indicative, non-medical nutrition estimate; values depend on brands, actual weights, and whether ingredients are raw or cooked.