Mother’s Bread in Shotis Oven
Mother’s Bread in Shotis Oven | How to bake Georgian Shotis Bread | How to bake Traditional Shotis Puri
Mother’s Bread in Shotis Oven | Georgian Shotis Puri holds great cultural significance for Georgians. Besides being a staple food, it is a symbol of togetherness and hospitality in celebrations and gatherings
Situated at the cross roads of Europe and Asia, Georgia is a country of breathtaking landscapes, history, cultural heritage, hospitality and cuisine. Bread is an iconic part of Georgian cuisine and culture.
Georgia has a rich tradition of baking bread, and it holds a special place in Georgian cuisine and culture. The people of Georgia take pride in their baking tradition. Among its various kinds of bread, some popular ones are Shotis puri and Khachapuri with its variations such as Pkhlovana or Mkhlovana.
We were now on the second day of our trip to Georgia. On our way back from the KTW winery, we stopped at a local bakery to satiate our hunger pangs. This small bakery had a traditional oven called Tone or Shoti oven. I spotted some freshly baked elongated oval Shotis puri ready for pick up. Some more were baking in the conventional oven.
The wafting aroma of the freshly baked bread was exhilarating. How much I missed my Zaatar Cheese Manakeesh and Karak Chai! Fortunately, the desire to see the baking process of these Shotis puris temporarily suppressed my hunger.
My gastronomic instincts took control, and the bakery owner agreed to let me create traditional Georgian bread with her. What more would a food blogger want!
Ingredients for making Shoti Bread (Mother’s bread)
The ingredients that go into at ar bread flour, salt, yeast and water.
What is Shotis Puri
Shotis Puri or simply Shoti is a traditional Georgian bread oval in shape with elongated ends. It is one of the most iconic and widely consumed bread varieties in the country. Once the dough rises, the baker shapes into small flat loaves. Then, the baker slaps them to the inside of a traditional round well-shaped brick or clay oven. This oven is called ‘Tone‘ or ‘Shoti‘. The shape of this bread is similar to canoe, sword or baton. It has a soft interior and crusty exterior.
Mother’s bread, Shotis, Shotis puri are various names of this bread.
Video
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The process of baking Shotis bread
Flour, salt, yeast and water are the basic ingredients to prepare Shotis Puri.
Shotis oven or Tone/ Toner/Tonir
Shotis oven is a well-like clay structure built into the ground. Before baking, firewood or other fuels are used for heating the oven. The clay walls and floor absorb the intense heat generated from the fire. This creates a hot baking environment.
Maintaining the right temperature of the oven is very important.
When the oven is hot enough, metallic sheets or discs that are placed at the bottom, monitor the temperature so that the bread is baked properly.
As with any other bread dough, balls are formed and kept covered.
Then, using some flour, each ball is shaped into somewhat oval or canoe shape with elongated ends.
Then, using some flour, shape each ball into an oval or canoe shape with elongated ends. Hold from the tapering sides and carefully stick against the walls of the tone. One has to bend really low down into the clay oven in order to slap a bread against the wall of the Shoti oven. Likewise, the baker neatly sticks several Shotis all around the wall of the oven for baking.
After about 10 minutes of baking in the Shoti oven, the bread is gently scraped from the sides of the oven with two long metallic tools – Shotis paddle and Shotis hook.
How to serve
Various Georgian dishes pair well with Shoti bread . This bread is best when eaten warm and fresh. It pairs well with cheese, hearty stews, grilled meats, cheese, and vegetable dishes. The bread’s soft interior and crusty exterior makes it versatile and suitable for a wide range of culinary pairings.
Lemonade , pineapple virgin mojito or fruit juices are a welcome with Shotis bread
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Recipe Card
Mother’s Bread in Shotis Oven
Equipment
- Built in Shotis Oven
- Paddle and Hook
Materials
- Bread dough
Instructions
- To prepare Shotis Puri , a basic bread dough is prepared with flour, salt, yeast and water.
Shoti oven or Tone/ Toner/Tonir
- Traditional oven used for baking Shotis is called Shoti oven or Tone. This is a well like clay structure built into the ground. Before baking, the oven is heated by using wood or other fuels inside it. The fire generates intense heat, which is absorbed by the clay walls and floor, creating a hot baking environment is heated using wood or other fuels. Maintaining the right temperature of the oven is very important.
- Metallic sheets or discs are used to monitor the temperature so that the bread is baked properly.
How to bake Mother's bread in Shotis Oven
- As with any other bread dough, balls are made out of it and kept covered.
- With the help of flour, each ball is shaped into somewhat oval or canoe shape with elongated ends.
- The ball of dough that is shaped is held from the tapering sides and carefully stuck against the walls of the tone. One has to bend really low down into the clay oven in order to slap a bread against the wall of the Shoti oven. Several Shotis are neatly stuck all around the wall of the oven for baking.
- After about 10 minutes of baking in the Shoti oven, the bread is gently scraped from the sides of the oven with the help of two long metallic tools – Shotis paddle and Shotis hook. (refer to video)
How to serve
- Shotis bread is often enjoyed with various Georgian dishes. This bread is eaten warm and fresh. It pairs well with cheese, hearty stews, grilled meats, cheese, and vegetable dishes. The bread’s soft interior and crusty exterior makes it versatile and suitable for a wide range of culinary pairings.
- Lemonades , mojito or fruit juices are a welcome with Shotis bread.
Video
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