Today we finally got it right — real Adjarian khachapuri at home. This was my second attempt. The first time I made the classic mistake: I thought regular cheese would work. It didn’t. The texture was wrong, the melt was wrong, and the flavor was flat. Lesson learned - the cheese is not optional detail, it’s the core of the dish.
This morning I went to Goodwill in Tbilisi and bought the two essentials:
- Imeretian cheese
- Sulguni cheese
That combination is what creates the proper creamy, stretchy filling. Without it, you’re just baking bread with melted cheese. With it, you get the real Adjaruli experience.
Living in Georgia, we love experimenting with traditional Georgian cuisine — but some traditions exist for a reason.
Simple Yeast Dough (Works Perfectly)
I kept the dough straightforward:
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4–5 grams dry yeast
- Warm water
Process
- Mix yeast, sugar, salt, and olive oil into warm water.
- Let it sit for about 10 minutes until activated.
- Add flour and knead into dough.
- Let it rest for about 1 hour.
That’s it. Nothing complicated.
After the rise, shape into the classic boat, fill generously with the cheese mix, bake until golden, then add the egg and finish it properly.
The result? Creamy center, stretchy cheese walls, crisp edges — exactly how it should be.
Experimenting with Georgian food at home is part of the fun of living here. But if you’re making Adjarian khachapuri, don’t cut corners on the cheese.
Enjoy the video, get tips from Renee around the world, and don’t forget to follow her Instagram account.
