AI-generated image
Chvishtari
Cornmeal and cheese cakes
Chvishtari: Svan cornmeal and sulguni cakes, crisp outside, molten inside
Chvishtari belongs to the high villages of Svaneti, around Mestia and Ushguli, where cornmeal and cheese are the winter larder: a stiff cornmeal dough is worked with lots of grated sulguni, shaped into flat cakes and fried or baked so the cheese bubbles out and crisps at the edges. Svan families eat them hot with tea or with a bowl of lobio. A common mistake is using too little cheese; it is the cheese that binds the cornmeal, and a lean dough falls apart in the pan. Chef's tip: wet your hands when shaping, so the dough doesn't stick and the cakes stay smooth. Sulguni is usually made with animal rennet; use a vegetarian cheese.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the cakes
- 9 oz fine cornmeal
- 9 oz sulguni or low-moisture mozzarellagrated; choose a vegetarian-rennet cheese
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup hot milk
- 1 oz buttermelted
For frying
- 3 tbsp sunflower oil
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Mix 9 oz fine cornmeal and ½ tsp salt in a bowl. Pour in ¾ cup hot milk and 1 oz butter and stir, then leave for 5 minutes for the cornmeal to swell.
5 minStep 2: Knead in 9 oz sulguni or low-moisture mozzarella with your hands until the dough holds together and feels like soft clay.
Step 3: Wet your hands and shape into 8 flat cakes about 1.5 cm thick.
Step 4: Heat 3 tbsp sunflower oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the cakes for 5–6 minutes on each side, until deep golden and crisp, with cheese bubbling and browning at the edges. Common mistake: turning too early; wait until a crust forms or they stick.
12 minStep 5: Drain on kitchen paper and eat hot.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 17 g
- Carbs
- 36 g
- Fat
- 23 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does chvishtari take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of sulguni or low-moisture mozzarella?
- Provolone or a mild cheddar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of hot milk?
- Oat, soy or almond milk, same amount (use unsweetened for savoury dishes).
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Farari uttapamSamo and water-chestnut pancakes
Soft, thick uttapam for fasting days, made from a yogurt batter of samo (moraiyo), singoda (water chestnut) flour and rajagra (amaranth) flour, tempered with cumin and curry leaves and studded with cucumber, tomato, coconut and green chilli. Cooked under a lid, they're crisp at the edges and fluffy in the middle. Serve with yogurt and green chutney. Makes 6.
Indian
Stuffed green paratha
Bright green parathas: the dough is kneaded with puréed spinach and lemon, then filled with a gently spiced stuffing of crushed peas, grated cauliflower and crumbled paneer and cooked on a hot griddle. Soft inside with crisp spots outside. Serve hot with yogurt and chutneys.
Brown soup rolls
Small, soft bread rolls made with half plain and half wholemeal flour, shaped long and baked until golden. They're best warm from the oven with a bowl of soup, and freeze well once cooled.