Khachapuri in Gurian style

First, prepare the yeast dough. It's not scary at all. The key is to buy quality yeast, be patient, and aim for a good result. There are several types of yeast (fresh and dry); in this case, we use dry active yeast that can be added directly to the dough. If you can't find it in the store, buy any type but read the instructions carefully and adjust proportions accordingly. In slightly warmed milk and water (temperature should not exceed 30 degrees, or the yeast won't work), add salt, eggs, sprinkle in the yeast, and mix well. Gradually add sifted flour and softened margarine. Knead the dough for about 20 minutes; those with bread machines or mixers with dough hooks can be envied. Once kneaded, pour vegetable oil on top and mix a couple of times to make the dough more pleasant to work with later. Now let it rise three full times—this is the longest and most exciting process. Place it in a warm spot (you can use the same container) and cover it. The first rise takes the longest—1.5 to 2 hours. When the dough has noticeably increased in volume, gently deflate it and repeat two more times. Overall preparation time will take about 4 hours! Therefore, it's suggested to knead the dough in the evening, let it rise twice, then refrigerate overnight (the cold will slow down the third rise). If your freezer is free, feel free to increase all ingredient amounts and make extra dough 'for reserve.' Divide it into portions of 200 grams each, wrap them in plastic wrap, and freeze. Take out 2 hours before use.

An essential part of real khachapuri is the amazing golden-crispy crust. To achieve this, the 'raw' khachapuri should be brushed with a sour cream-egg sauce. For this, mix sour cream and egg yolk. If the mixture is too thick, add a little water to achieve a more viscous consistency.

Preheat the oven to 230–235 degrees.

We are melting butter.

Now that all the preparatory stages are complete and the oven is preheated, we can start assembling the khachapuri.

Roll out the dough into a round shape with a diameter of about 35-40 cm.

Mentally dividing the circle in half, we place grated suluguni cheese on one half.

We cut the cheese into circles, egg.

Cover the 'cheese' with the free half of the dough to get a semicircle.

Pinch the edges and secure them so that the khachapuri doesn't open and the juice doesn't leak out.

Evenly distribute the filling, slightly stretching the khachapuri to the sides, and shape it like a crescent.

Generously spread with sour cream and egg sauce on top.

Send to the oven for 6–7 minutes.

After taking the ready khachapuri out of the oven, immediately brush it with melted butter and cut it into 6 pieces.