Ghaabak-Chaabilgish recipe

Ingredients:

0.5 kg flour

Approx. 240 ml water or yogurt

1 tsp sugar

0.5 tsp yeast

50 gm boiled pumpkin

1 tbsp ghee

1 tbsp honey

Pinch of salt

Pinch of black pepper

This thin pumpkin khachapuri can be found only in Chechnya and Pankisi Valley. It’s a perfect treat for autumn and cold winter days.

Preparation:

Wash and cut the pumpkin into small pieces, pour one glass of water into a pot and place the pieces so that the inner side of the pumpkin is in water and the outer part above it. Once the pumpkin is boiled remove the rind and put the inner soft parts in a bowl, add ghee, salt, black pepper, honey and mix well to get a smooth blend.

Take yogurt or lukewarm water and add flour, yeast, sugar, oil, salt, and knead the dough and until smooth. Set aside for one hour to rise.

Cut the dough into equal balls and roll out to get very thin circles. Brush a thin layer of pumpkin mixture on each circle, fold, and give it a crescent shape. Cook on low heat in a pan and brush ghee on the surface.

These and other recipes are featured in the cook book Kisturi Tabla and were cooked by Nato Kavtarashvili and Mediko Machalikashvili. This unique book was produced by USAID in partnership with PVTDA and Nazy's Guest House.

A copy can be purchased directly from Nazy's Guest House.