Name: Achma
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 2 h 20 min
Cuisine: Georgian
Ingredients: 700 g strong white bread flour; 2 large eggs; 230 ml room-temperature water; 6 g fine salt; 350 g Imeretian cheese, coarsely grated or crumbled; 350 g sulguni, coarsely grated; 160 g unsalted butter, melted and kept warm, not browned; 15 g salt for 5 litres of water; most of this salt is discarded with the water

A whole golden achma cheese pie on a serving board in a wide Georgian home-table scene.

Yield1 rectangular pie, cut into 8 portions

Serving basis1 square, about 220 g baked

DifficultyAdvanced; rolling and parboiling thin dough sheets takes care

DietaryVegetarian; contains wheat/gluten, milk and egg

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The dish

About Achma

Achma: Georgian Layered Cheese Pie

Achma is a rich Georgian layered pastry: thin sheets of dough, some briefly boiled, stacked with cheese and butter. This home version makes eight crisp-edged squares with soft, tender layers.

Achma belongs to Georgia’s wide khachapuri family. It is associated with Adjara and is now enjoyed more broadly across Georgia. Its defining feature is the stack: very thin dough sheets, several briefly boiled before baking, layered with cheese and melted butter.

The dough is rolled into individual sheets rather than made into one soft loaf. A quick dip in boiling water makes the middle sheets supple; cooling and blotting them keeps the layers distinct. The first and final sheets stay unboiled, giving the pie a base and a browned top.

Layer counts and cheese blends vary. This version uses eight sheets and three internal cheese layers of Imeretian cheese and sulguni. A little butter separates and enriches the cooked sheets. Once baked, Achma is cut into squares and served warm while the cheese remains soft.

Cook the dish

Ingredients

Achma: Georgian Layered Cheese Pie

Dough sheets

700 gstrong white bread flour
2large eggs
230 mlroom-temperature water
6 gfine salt

Cheese and butter layers

350 gImeretian cheese, coarsely grated or crumbled
350 gsulguni, coarsely grated
160 gunsalted butter, melted and kept warm, not browned

Parboiling water

15 gsalt for 5 litres of water
most of this salt is discarded with the water

Method

Mix flour and 6 g salt in a large bowl. Beat the eggs with the water, add to the flour, and knead 8–10 minutes until firm, smooth and elastic. Cover and rest 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grate both cheeses, combine them, melt the butter and prepare a large bowl of cold water.
Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Keep them covered. Roll each on a lightly floured surface into a thin sheet large enough for the 23 × 33 cm baking dish. Keep the first and last sheets separate and unboiled.
Bring 5 litres of water to a boil in a large pot and add 15 g salt. Working one sheet at a time, lower six middle sheets into the water for 30–40 seconds, until supple but intact. Transfer each to cold water, lift out with a slotted spoon, drain and blot flat on a clean tea towel.
Heat the oven to 200 °C conventional (180 °C fan). Brush the baking dish with a little melted butter. Lay in the first raw sheet and brush lightly with butter. Add two cooked sheets, brushing each with butter; spread one-third of the cheese over the next layer. Repeat with two more cooked sheets and another third of cheese, then the final two cooked sheets and remaining cheese. Cover with the last raw sheet and brush the top with the remaining butter. Trim overhanging dough and tuck the edge in.
Score the top through the layers into 8 portions with a sharp knife. Bake on the centre rack 35–40 minutes until deep golden on top and crisp at the edges, with the cheese melted and the centre hot.
Rest in the dish 5 minutes, then cut through the score lines and serve warm.

Practical guidance

Keep rolled sheets covered while working. If a sheet sticks, dust lightly with flour before rolling; excess flour between the layers can make the pie dry. Blot each parboiled sheet so water does not pool in the dish.

Fresh Imeretian cheese and sulguni give the most Georgian-forward flavour. If unavailable, use low-moisture mozzarella with a smaller share of feta; the result will be milder or saltier depending on the blend. Keep the total cheese at 700 g and do not salt the filling before tasting it.

Achma can be assembled, covered and refrigerated overnight before baking. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours at or below 4 °C, use within 3–4 days, and reheat until the centre reaches 74 °C. Baked portions can be frozen airtight for up to 2 months.

Nutrition per serving

Serving size: 1 of 8 squares, about 220 g baked
Calories: approximately 690 kcal
Carbohydrate: 67 g
Protein: 29 g
Fat: 35 g
Fibre: 2 g
Sodium: approximately 990 mg

Allergens and food safety

Contains wheat/gluten, milk and egg. The dough includes raw egg, so wash hands, utensils and work surfaces after mixing; fully cook the assembled pie. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours at or below 4 °C, use within 3–4 days and reheat throughout to 74 °C.

Closing notes

Achma is ready when the top is deeply golden and the inner cheese layers are hot and tender.
Blotting the boiled sheets and buttering them lightly helps keep the layers distinct.