Syrniki are popular in Russia and Poland, mainly as breakfast treats, much like pancakes. Traditionally, the dish is made with either German style Quark cheese, Russian tvorog or Polish twaróg cheese that is very similar to farmers’ cheese. You can find tvorog and twarógin in Eastern European supermarkets, or you can use Israeli Gvina Levana (quark), farmers’ cheese, or strained ricotta to reduce its water content, as I do in the recipe below.
Polish/Russian cheese latkes (Syrniki)
Course: Dessert, BreakfastCuisine: Polish, Russian, JewishDifficulty: easy25
minutes1
hour1
hour25
minutesINGREDIENTS
1 lb. ricotta cheese, farmers’ cheese, or tvorog (see note above)
½ cup flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons olive oil (you can substitute half with butter)
- For the cherry sauce (optional, you can also serve with any jam)
12 oz. frozen cherries or any berry, thawed
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup red wine
1 tablespoon lemon juice
- For serving
Powdered sugar
Sour cream (optional)
DIRECTIONS
- Skip this step if you’re using farmers’ cheese or tvorog, or if the ricotta you’re using seem not too wet. Set a fine sieve or folded cheesecloth set inside a colander over a bowl and spoon ricotta into sieve. Let stand at room temperature for 1-2 hours to remove access water.
- To make the cherry sauce (optional), put thawed cherries in a heavy bottom saucepan, top with sugar and wine and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, so the sauce is simmering, but not too rapidly, and cook for about 8 minutes. Taste, and add lemon juice only if you want to flavor to be more tart. Remove from heat and cool down completely.
- Put the strained ricotta, farmers’ cheese or tvorog in a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a flat beater. Add flour, eggs, sugar and salt and mix on medium speed to create a smooth batter. Don’t over mix. Remove from mixer, cover bowl in plastic, and let chill in the fridge for 1 hour, and up to 4 hours.
- Line a baking sheet with two layers of paper towels.
- Heat a little oil or butter in a non-stick pan over medium heat. When oil is hot, gently spoon a spoonful of the batter into the pan, patting it gently to a round shape. Fry until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towel lined sheet. Wipe pan clean with a paper towel, add more oil as needed and continue with the rest of the batter.
- Serve immediately or at room temperature. You can sprinkle pancakes with powdered sugar and serve with a side of the cherry sauce or jam and sour cream.
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