Chudu with Potato and Cheese

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you make chudu with potato and cheese? Gather your ingredients. Any fat content of kefir works; take it out of the fridge ahead of time so it comes to room temperature. Use medium potatoes. For the cheese, use a soft, good-quality one like Adyghe cheese or brynza (a brined feta-style cheese), with no vegetable fats. I used brynza.

2. Step 2:

   

   Start with the dough. Take a large bowl and pour in the warm kefir. If it's straight from the fridge, no problem — just warm it up with a splash of hot water. Stir in the baking soda and let the kefir stand for 5 minutes. During this time the soda reacts with the acid in the kefir, releasing gas that makes the dough fluffier and softer.

3. Step 3:

   

   Then add the salt to the kefir and sift in one cup of flour.

4. Step 4:

   

   Start mixing the dough with a fork. Once the first cup of flour is worked in, sift in a bit more. Keep adding flour gradually as you knead.

5. Step 5:

   

   When it gets hard to stir with a fork, keep kneading by hand.

6. Step 6:

   

   Be ready to use more or less flour than the recipe calls for. Go by the consistency of the dough, not a fixed amount — it should turn smooth, uniform, and stop sticking to your hands. I only needed two cups; the half cup wasn't necessary. Put the finished dough in a bowl, cover it with a cloth, and let it rest while you make the filling.

7. Step 7:

   

   Make the filling. Wash the potatoes and put them in a saucepan. Cover them with cold water and set them over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat. Cook the potatoes in their skins for 20–25 minutes, depending on size. Check with a knife — it should slide in easily. Drain and let the potatoes cool.

8. Step 8:

   

   Let the potatoes cool until you can handle them without burning yourself. Peel them and mash them until smooth.

9. Step 9:

   

   Grate the cheese on the fine holes of a box grater.

10. Step 10:

    

    Add the grated cheese and sour cream to the mashed potatoes. Salt lightly — remember the cheese is already fairly salty, especially if it's brynza. You can also stir in any fresh herbs you like; I chose not to.

11. Step 11:

    

    Mix everything until smooth. The filling is ready.

12. Step 12:

    

    By now the dough has improved — the liquid has fully absorbed and the gluten has developed, giving it elasticity. Always try to let kneaded dough rest; it's much easier to work with. Divide the dough into 8 pieces. Roll each one out into a thin circle on a floured surface.

13. Step 13:

    

    Place a generous portion of filling in the center of each round.

14. Step 14:

    

    Gather the edges of the dough up into the center and pinch them together into a pouch. Flatten it from the top so it's flat.

15. Step 15:

    

    Roll the flatbread out to about 1/2 inch (1 cm) thick. The dough is very thin and can tear, so work carefully. Shape all the chudu the same way. I did it right as I fried — while one cooked, I shaped the next.

16. Step 16:

    

    Set a skillet over medium heat. Without greasing it, heat it until hot. Lay a shaped flatbread on it.

17. Step 17:

    

    Cook the chudu in the dry skillet until golden on one side, then flip and cook the other side until golden too.

18. Step 18:

    

    Move the finished flatbread to a plate and, while it's still hot, brush it with butter right away. Cook all the flatbreads the same way.

19. Step 19:

    

    Serve the chudu hot with sour cream. Enjoy!