Cheese pancake (syrnik) is one of the favorite fast food dishes in the Russian cuisine.
Syrnik (cheese pancake) is a fried pancake made of cottage cheese.
When were syrniks invented? It is impossible to say for sure. But it was definitely more than 300 years ago. Around that time in Russia the concepts of “cheese” and “cottage cheese” got separated. Before that cottage cheese was called cheese. Hence the name, “cheese cakes” (syrnik in Russian), although they are made from cottage cheese.
Syrniki are a healthy dish. Unlike regular blinis or pancakes, the main component of syrniki is cottage cheese that is rich in protein and calcium. In this sense, syrniki is a very balanced dish: they contain carbohydrates and fats, and lots of protein.
How Syrniki are Made
Cottage cheese for making syrniki should be neither too fat nor too skim. Ideal would be cottage cheese with 6-9% fat. Cottage cheese should not be too dry or too crumbly. And, of course, cottage cheese should be very fresh.
Some housewives puree cottage cheese through a sieve to obtain a smooth paste without lumps.
To make two servings you need 1 egg, 350 grams of cottage cheese, 1-2 tablespoons of flour, salt and sugar to taste. First, you beat the eggs. Then you add cottage cheese, and then very carefully – flour. The dough is thoroughly mixed. Then you sprinkle a little flour on a table and lay out the dough. The dough is rolled by hands into a thick “sausage.” Then you cut it into “syrniki” of 1-1.5 cm thick. Once cut, you sprinkle syrniki with flour. Syrniki are fried on low heat in a frying pan with vegetable oil until golden brown.
Variety of Syrniki
When making syrniki each family has their own ratio of ingredients and the amount of sugar they add. Quite common are the following additional ingredients: raisins, dry apricots, crumbled nuts. Some people also add berry, citrus, and any other additives.
How to Eat Syrniki
Syrniki are served both hot and cold. Everything depends on your eating habits.
They are often served with sour cream, jam, pureed berries, and honey. Syrniki are sprinkled with grated nuts, vanilla sugar, and cinnamon.
Try Russian syrniki as a main dish or as a dessert!
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