Taste of Russia - Syrniki

Syrniki are a traditional Russian breakfast or snack food. Although they look similar to regular pancakes, syrniki taste very different. The main ingredient is farmer’s cheese (do not confuse with cottage cheese as it’s too liquid and is not going to work). You can get farmer’s cheese in special European grocery stores. When you try syrniki once, you will be hungry for more. And there are lots of toppings to choose from!

Ingredients:

1 lb (or 500 grams) farmer’s cheese

1 egg

2-3 tablespoons sugar

1 dash of salt

1 cup flour

Directions:

In a medium size bowl, mix together the farmer’s cheese, egg, sugar, and salt. Gradually add the flour and mix well until combined. The dough will be soft and rather sticky.

Using a big frying pan, heat the vegetable or canola oil over medium heat until hot.

Scoop a chunk of dough with a large spoon and form into a small pancake. It will be easier to shape a syrnik with wet hands. Form a syrnik with your hands; it is not necessary to dust it with flour.  Fry over medium heat on one side until golden brown. Then flip over, reduce heat to medium-low and cover with a lid. Keep covered until the syrniki are cooked all the way through. 

It will take about 5 minutes per side, but be careful not to burn. You can also reduce the heat a little bit if the surface becomes too hot.

Serve warm with a choice of topping. Sour cream is the classic addition to syrniki and they taste great together. You can also try them with jam, butter, or syrup. It depends if you like your syrniki sweet or plain. Enjoy!