Lobiani (Bean-stuffed flatbread)
This flatbread is very similar to Imeruli khachapuri (see recipe), but instead of the
cheese filling kidney beans are used here. In fact the name of this dish comes from lobio which is beans in Georgian If you substitute the bacon fat with olive oil, this recipe becomes vegan.
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Preparation time: 2 hrs. 20 mins + 8 hrs. soaking the beans
Difficulty level: Medium
Servings: 10
Special equipment: Dough mixer
Ingredients
Preparation
Filling:
2 cups dried kidney beans
2 tbsps. bacon fat or olive oil
2 cups white onion
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 1⁄2 tsp. paprika
1 tbsp. salt
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Dough:
3⁄4 tsp. instant dry yeast
2 tsp. sugar
4 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 tsp. kosher salt
olive oil, for greasing
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Soaking:
Add the beans to a medium bowl or pot and cover with water by at least 2 inches; let soak about 8 hours or overnight, then drain.
Preparing the filling:
In a large pot, melt the bacon fat over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned. Add the spices and cook 2-3 minutes more. Add the drained beans, salt, and enough water to cover the solids by 3 fingers. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to simmer.
Cook, stirring occasionally, for about a hour until the beans are very tender, then drain the beans, reserving the cooking liquid.
Mash the beans to a coarse paste, adding some liquid if the mixture seems too dry. Adjust the seasoning and let cool to room temperature.
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Preparing the dough:
While the beans are cooking, in the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add the flour, 1 ½ cups tepid water, the salt, sugar, and yeast. Mix on low speed 5-6 minutes until smooth.
Cover with plastic wrap. Set in a warm place until the dough is almost doubled in size, about a hour.
Divide the dough into five equal pieces. Shape each into a ball and cover with a clean towel to prevent from drying out.
On a lightly floured work surface roll out one ball of dough into a 25 cm (10") round. Place fifth of the filling into the center of the round, then fold and stretch the edges up to meet at the center. Pleat and pinch the dough to create a tidy center knot. Press the bundle down gently and carefully roll it down to an even, 17 cm (7") disk. Pop any pockets of trapped air and cover with the towel. Repeat with the remaining dough balls.
Heat a large griddle or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add as many lobiani as will fit in a single layer without crowding or overlapping. Cook on each side until well browned (3-4 minutes). Serve immediately.