Syrniki

Ingredients

Curd

• 600 gtvorog, dry Russian curd cheese

Batter

• 2eggs
• 3 tbspsugar
• 4to 6 tbsp plain flour, and more for shaping
• a pinch of salt
• 1 tspvanilla
• 50 graisins, optional

To fry

• butter and a little oil

To serve

• smetana, sour cream
• jam, especially sour cherry
• condensed milk, sgushchyonka
• honey

Optional

• grated zest of 1 lemon

Directions

1. Squeeze a handful. If liquid comes out, hang it in muslin for a few hours or press it under a weight. Mix the sieved tvorog with the eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla. Stop as soon as the mixture just holds together when squeezed.
2. Stir in the raisins now if you are using them. Now rest the mixture for 15 minutes. Roll a portion into a ball, flatten it into a thick disc about 2 cm deep, and dust the outside with flour.
3. Keep them thick. Thin syrniki dry out and go rubbery, and they should be creamy in the middle. Dust only the outside rather than working more flour in. Use a mix of butter and oil, since butter alone burns before the syrniki are cooked through.
4. Keep the heat moderate. Too hot and the outside is dark before the centre has set, which is the usual mistake.
5. Fry 3 to 4 minutes a side until deep golden. Do not press them down with the spatula, which squeezes out the moisture that keeps them tender.
6. Turn them once only and handle them gently. Some cooks finish them in a low oven for 5 minutes, which sets the centre without darkening the outside further.
7. Drain them briefly and serve them hot. Serve with a spoonful of smetana and jam, or with condensed milk poured over, which is the version most Russians grew up on.

Technique

• Tvorog is sold in Russian, Polish and Baltic shops and varies a great deal in wetness.
• Semolina in place of flour gives a softer, more tender result.
• They are a breakfast dish above all.

Substitutions

• Dry cottage cheese or quark, drained and sieved.
• Ricotta pressed overnight, which is a rougher substitute.

Variations

• With raisins or dried apricots.
• Baked rather than fried, which is lighter.
• Zapekanka, made as a whole baked casserole.

History

Small, pan-fried pancakes made from a mixture of tvorog, a fresh, dry Russian curd cheese, egg and flour, documented in Russian home cooking for generations and considered a classic, comforting breakfast dish across the country. Their name comes directly from syr, the Russian word for cheese, reflecting the tvorog base that defines the dish, and syrniki are traditionally served with sour cream, jam or honey drizzled on top, offering a sweet finish to a dish that is itself only mildly sweetened in the batter. They remain a staple of Russian home cooking and casual restaurant breakfast menus, valued as a comparatively quick, simple dish to prepare using commonly available dairy ingredients.

Frequently asked questions

What is Syrniki?

Syrniki is a breakfast from Russia: curd-cheese pancakes with jam or condensed milk. Small, pan-fried pancakes made from a mixture of tvorog, a fresh, dry Russian curd cheese, egg and flour, documented in Russian home cooking for generations and considered a classic, comforting breakfast dish across the country. Their name comes directly from syr, the Russian word for cheese, reflecting the tvorog base that defines the dish, and syrniki are traditionally served with sour cream, jam or honey drizzled on top, offering a sweet finish to a dish that is itself only mildly sweetened in the batter. They remain a staple of Russian home cooking and casual restaurant breakfast menus, valued as a comparatively quick, simple dish to prepare using commonly available dairy ingredients.

How long does Syrniki take to make?

Syrniki takes 20 min of preparation and 20 min of cooking. The recipe makes about 14. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Syrniki?

Yes, within limits. Dry cottage cheese or quark, drained and sieved. Ricotta pressed overnight, which is a rougher substitute.

What is the most important thing to get right in Syrniki?

Keep them thick. Thin syrniki dry out and go rubbery, and they should be creamy in the middle. Dust only the outside rather than working more flour in. Use a mix of butter and oil, since butter alone burns before the syrniki are cooked through.