Lobiani

Lobiani is the savoury bean-filled flatbread of Georgia's mountainous Racha region — a sibling to khachapuri but filled with highly seasoned kidney beans instead of cheese. In Racha, where winters are brutal, lobiani sustained communities on the flavour of dried beans transformed by fenugreek, coriander seed, and raw onion. The bread is cooked in a cast iron skillet, developing a blistered, slightly charred crust while remaining tender inside. A celebratory food eaten at Easter and family gatherings, it is also sufficiently quick for a weeknight. The bean filling is naturally low in sodium, relying on spice rather than salt for flavour.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Dough:

• 350 g (2¾ cups) plain flour, plus more for dusting
• 7 g (1 sachet) instant yeast; 1 teaspoon sugar; ½ teaspoon salt
• 220 ml (scant 1 cup) warm water; 2 tablespoons sunflower oil

Bean filling:

• 400 g (14 oz) canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 medium onion, very finely chopped; 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
• 1½ teaspoons ground coriander seed; 1 teaspoon ground fenugreek (utskho suneli)
• ½ teaspoon dried red chilli flakes; ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh coriander (cilantro), finely chopped
• Butter, for brushing

Instructions

1. Make dough: Combine flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Add warm water and oil; knead 8–10 minutes until smooth and slightly tacky. Cover and rest in a warm place 45–60 minutes until roughly doubled.
2. Make filling: Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry onion 8 minutes until soft. Add garlic, cook 1 minute. Add ground coriander, fenugreek, and chilli flakes; stir 1 minute until fragrant. Add drained beans and mash coarsely — a rough paste with some whole beans remaining. Stir in fresh coriander. Cool completely before using.
3. Shape: Divide dough into 4 equal portions. Roll each into a 20 cm (8 in) circle. Place a quarter of the filling in the centre, leaving a 3 cm (1 in) border. Gather and pleat edges up and over the filling, pinching tightly to seal. Flip seam-side down and gently flatten into a round about 18 cm (7 in) across.
4. Cook: Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat — no oil needed. Cook each lobiani 4–5 minutes per side, pressing gently with a spatula, until deep golden brown with blistered spots. The bread should sound hollow when tapped.
5. Brush generously with butter as each comes off the pan. Serve hot, cut into wedges.

Cook's Notes: Fenugreek and coriander seed are non-negotiable — look for utskho suneli (blue fenugreek) at Georgian or Eastern European grocery stores. Lobiani reheats beautifully in a dry skillet.