Syrniki (Cottage Cheese Pancakes)
Crispy outside, soft and cheesy inside. Syrniki are small fried curd pancakes made from cottage cheese, eggs, and a little flour — nothing more. They've been a weekend breakfast staple across Russia and Ukraine for generations. Serve with sour cream and jam, or just a spoonful of honey.
Ingredients
- 400 gtvorog (farmer's cheese)
- 2 eggs
- 4 tbspflour
- 2 tbspsugar
- 1 tspvanilla extract
- 1 pinchsalt
- 3 tbspflour for dusting
- 3 tbspvegetable oil
Method
- Drain the cottage cheese well. If it's wet, put it in a fine-mesh strainer and press out the liquid. Then press it through the strainer with a spoon to break up any lumps and make the texture smooth.
- In a bowl, combine the cottage cheese, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Mix with a fork until uniform. Add the flour one tablespoon at a time. Stop when the dough is thick enough to hold a shape but still slightly sticky — usually 3 to 4 tablespoons.
- Dust your hands and a plate with flour. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough, roll into a ball, then flatten gently into a round disk about 1.5 cm thick. Coat both sides in flour. You should get 8 to 10 pieces.
- Heat the oil in a pan over medium-low heat. Fry the syrniki in batches — do not crowd the pan. Cook for 3 minutes per side without pressing them down. They should be deep golden brown on both sides.
- Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel. Serve warm with sour cream, jam, or honey.
FAQ
The most common reason is wet cottage cheese. Drain it in a strainer for at least 15 minutes. The second common mistake is making them too thin — at least 1.5 cm thick. Third: heat too high.
Completely different. Regular pancakes are made with flour batter — light and flat. Syrniki are mostly cheese with just enough flour to hold together. Dense, soft, custardy inside, with a crispy crust.
Yes. Flax egg: 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water, rest 10 minutes. One flax egg replaces one chicken egg.
Yes. Rice flour works very well and gives a slightly crispier crust. Oat flour also works. Use the same amount as the recipe calls for.
3 days in a sealed container. Reheat in a dry non-stick pan, 2 minutes per side. They freeze well for up to 3 months.
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Comments (2)
Творог обязательно сухой!! Я первый раз взяла жидкий и сырники расползлись на сковородке в кашу. Второй раз отжала через марлю — идеально вышло
I crack the eggs into a separate bowl first for this syrniki — it only takes a second and saves you from fishing out shell fragments or discovering a bad egg after it's already mixed in.