Recipes › Onion (Bulb) › Georgian Onion and Walnut Stuffed Flatbreads — Penovani Khachapuri Style
Georgian Onion and Walnut Stuffed Flatbreads — Penovani Khachapuri Style
A skillet flatbread inspired by the filled breads of Georgia, where a generous mixture of sweet softened onions and toasted walnuts is folded into an unleavened dough and cooked directly in a dry pan. The onion filling is the whole point here — softened until jammy and fragrant, it turns the bread into a proper meal rather than a side. Serve warm, cut into wedges, with a dollop of soured cream or thick yogurt.
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Ingredients
- 700 g bulb onions, finely sliced into half-moons
- 40 g unsalted butteror use 3 tbsp sunflower oil to make dairy-free
- 80 g walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp ground fenugreekomit if unavailable
- ½ tsp dried chilli flakes
- 15 g fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely choppedor use fresh coriander
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp fine salt, divided
- 320 g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 200 full-fat plain yogurt
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil, for the dough
- 150 soured cream or thick yogurt (optional)to serve
Contains: cereals gluten, milk, nuts, sulphites.
Method
- Make the dough first so it can rest. Combine the flour, baking powder and half a teaspoon of salt in a large bowl. Add the yogurt and sunflower oil, then mix until a rough dough forms. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 2 minutes until smooth and no longer sticky. Wrap in cling film or cover with a damp cloth and set aside to rest at room temperature.About 5 min
- Melt the butter in a wide frying pan over a medium heat. Add the sliced onions and the remaining half teaspoon of salt and stir to coat. Cook, stirring every couple of minutes, for 18 to 20 minutes until the onions are deeply golden, soft and reduced to roughly a quarter of their original volume. Do not rush this — the sweetness and jammy texture of the onions is what makes the filling worth eating.About 20 min
- Stir the ground coriander, ground fenugreek and chilli flakes into the onions and cook for a further 1 minute until fragrant. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chopped walnuts, parsley and white wine vinegar. Taste and adjust the salt. Spread the filling onto a plate and leave to cool for 5 minutes.About 3 min
- Divide the rested dough into 4 equal portions, each roughly 130g. On a lightly floured surface, roll one portion into a circle about 22cm in diameter. Spoon a quarter of the onion filling onto one half of the circle, leaving a 1.5cm border at the edge. Fold the empty half of dough over the filling to create a half-moon shape. Press the edges firmly together with your fingers and then crimp with a fork to seal. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.About 8 min
- Heat a large dry frying pan or cast-iron skillet over a medium-high heat. Place one or two flatbreads in the pan — however many fit comfortably without overlapping. Cook for 3 minutes on the first side until golden brown patches form, then flip carefully and cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes on the second side. The dough should be cooked through with no raw, doughy patches. Transfer to a warm plate and cover loosely with foil while you cook the remaining flatbreads.About 12 min
- Serve the flatbreads warm, cut into halves or wedges, with soured cream or thick yogurt alongside for dipping.
Tips
- The single most common mistake is pulling the onions off the heat too early. They need to be genuinely dark golden and jammy — pale, lightly softened onions will make a bland filling. Set a timer and trust the process.
- If the dough tears when you fold it, let it rest for another 5 minutes covered. The gluten will relax and it will become much more cooperative.
- Toast the walnuts in a dry pan for 3 to 4 minutes before chopping — it makes a real difference to the depth of flavour in the filling.
Ring the changes
- Add 80g of crumbled feta to the onion and walnut filling for a saltier, richer version — feta and caramelised onion is a classic combination.
- For a more substantial meal, serve alongside a simple tomato and cucumber salad dressed with red wine vinegar and olive oil.
Keeping it
Cooked flatbreads keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in a dry frying pan over a medium heat for 2 minutes per side, or wrap in foil and warm in a 180°C oven for 10 minutes. The raw filling can be made a day ahead and stored covered in the fridge.
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