Stuffed Flatbreads with Potato and Cheese (Khychin)
хычин khychinSay it: hih-CHEEN
Khychin is a thin, round stuffed flatbread from the mountains of Kabardino-Balkaria and neighbouring Karachay-Cherkessia. Soft kefir dough is wrapped around mashed potato and fresh cheese, rolled out thin and cooked in a dry skillet until speckled brown, then brushed with butter and stacked so it stays tender. Khychiny are eaten hot, by hand or cut into quarters, with tea or beside a bowl of soup. The ingredients are plain, but the balance of soft dough, creamy filling and melted butter is what makes them memorable.
Stuffed Flatbreads with Potato and Cheese (Khychin)
хычин, khychin
Pronounced hih-CHEEN
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 1 hr
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, milk. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Dough
Potato-cheese filling
To finish
Method
Boil the potatoes in salted water for 15–20 minutes, until a knife slides through without resistance. Drain well and mash with the 2 tbsp butter while still hot; leave to cool until just warm.
Crumble the brynza or feta into the warm potato and mash together into a smooth, soft paste. Season with pepper and add salt only if the cheese was mild, then divide into 8 equal balls.
Warm the kefir to lukewarm, stir in the salt and baking soda, then add the flour half at a time. Knead for 8–10 minutes, until the dough is soft, smooth and only slightly sticky; cover and rest for 30 minutes.
Divide the dough into 8 pieces and roll each into a ball. Flatten one with your palm into a disc about 4 inches (10 cm) across, keeping the rest covered.
Set a filling ball in the centre, lift the edges of the dough over it and pinch firmly to seal, then press the package flat with your palm into a thick disc.
On a lightly floured board, roll the disc gently out to about 8 inches (20 cm) and 1/8 inch (3–4 mm) thick, turning it and flipping it as you go. Pinch shut any small tears that open up.
Heat a heavy dry skillet over medium heat. Cook each flatbread for 3–4 minutes, until the underside is browned in dark spots and the top looks dry, then flip and cook 3 minutes more, until it puffs slightly and smells toasty.
Brush the hot khychin generously with melted butter on both sides and set it under a clean towel or an upturned bowl. Stack the rest the same way, then cut each into quarters and serve warm.
Regional variant: Meat khychiny (et khychin)
Replace the potato-cheese filling with 1 lb (450 g) very finely minced beef or lamb mixed with 1 small grated onion, 3 tbsp cold water or broth, 3/4 tsp salt and plenty of black pepper. Fill and roll the flatbreads exactly the same way, but cook them 4–5 minutes per side over medium-low heat so the meat steams through inside the thin dough; brush with butter and rest a minute before cutting.
Cook's notes
- Keep the dough softer than bread dough — a slightly sticky dough gives tender flatbreads. Dust the board rather than kneading in extra flour.
- Do not overfill: the filling should be about the same weight as the dough ball, or the flatbread will burst while rolling.
- Stack and cover the flatbreads as they come out of the pan; the trapped steam keeps them pliable instead of crisp.
Serve with
Strong black tea or cold ayran, with sour cream and fresh herbs on the side.
Make ahead and storage
Best eaten fresh; keep covered at room temperature for up to 2 hours, then reheat in a dry skillet or wrapped in foil at 350°F (175°C) for 8 minutes. The filling can be made a day ahead and refrigerated.
