* Exported from MasterCook *
Pancakes, Syrniki Farmer's Cheese Pancakes
Recipe By :Darra Goldstein
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Bread-Bakers Mailing List Hand Made
Pancakes/Waffles Posted
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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2 egg yolks
2 cups farmer's cheese -- or tvorog, homemade or
store-bought, (1 lb)
1/2 cup sugar -- Scant
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch salt
1 tablespoon heavy cream -- (or 2 Tbsp), optional
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Sour cream -- for garnish
Classic Russian cheese pancakes have a tangy-sweet flavor that goes
well with a dollop of jam or sour cream on the side.
In the wide world of pancakes - a world I enter into whenever I can -
these classic Russian syrniki rank at the top. It's not just their
tangy-sweet flavor that keeps me coming back. It's also their
emotional resonance. In Soviet times, syrniki were a mainstay of my
diet, offering a quick hit of protein and an always-reliable meal.
Over the years, I tasted my way through hundreds of pancakes. This
recipe makes them the way I like them - tender rather than firm, and
not too sweet.
Since the batter doesn't contain much flour, its consistency will
depend on the type of farmer's cheese you use. I tend to like a
slightly sticky batter to ensure that the pancakes turn out moist, so
if the farmer's cheese seems dry, I often add a tablespoon or two of
heavy cream to the batter. Even when the batter's sticky, you
shouldn't have trouble shaping the pancakes if you flour your hands
well and use a light touch. Make sure to cook the syrniki as soon as
you make them, while the batter is still cold. Otherwise they might
lose their shape. You can also shape the patties ahead of time, dust
them with flour, and keep them chilled until you're ready to fry
them. A 12" skillet accommodates about half the batter. If you want
to make all the pancakes at once, use two skillets, adding enough
butter and oil for both.
Makes: 12 pancakes
In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks into the farmer's cheese, then
stir in the sugar. Mix together 1/2 cup of the flour, the baking
powder, and the salt and add to the cheese mixture. If the mixture
seems dry, add a little heavy cream.
Place the butter and oil over medium-low heat in a large nonstick
skillet and melt the butter.
Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup flour onto a plate and dust your hands
with some flour, too. With your hands or a spoon, scoop out about 2
tablespoons of the batter and set the mound on the floured plate. Use
your hands to gently shape it into a round patty about 2 inches in
diameter and coat it lightly on all sides with flour. Repeat with the
remaining batter.
Carefully transfer the patties to the pan and cook them slowly until
the undersides are browned, about 3 minutes. Turn with a spatula and
cook until the other sides are browned, 3 to 4 minutes more. Serve
immediately, with sour cream.
Review: Wow, my favorite food on my favorite website! Finally someone
introduces the concept of syrniki to Americans! (I often wonder, how
do parents in other cultures manage without this dish? Something
every child agrees to eat but also packed with protein? When my son
was in his pickiest stage, I would plan the whole weekend trip around
the restaurants that serve this breakfast dish around the clock,
because this and plain bread were the only things he would eat
outside of home). Anyways, back to the recipe! It is quite close to
classic (which means there are better ones, but this one is the most
stable and does not depend on the quality of farmer cheese so much)
I, obviously, use 2 whole eggs. I have tried 1 egg+1 yolk as some
top-chef suggested, but did not see much value. 2 yolks? I don't
think so. I also use just 1 quarter cup sugar. Some people don't use
any sugar at all, since this dish is normally consumed with honey
and/or jam, but i found some sugar to be necessary. You can also use
a bit less flour, but this depends on the cheese, if you are using
something like Quark, you might need more. Most important: you can
use coconut oil for frying, it turns out very well. Even more
important: while the traditional Russian way of cooking it is using
some oil (not a lot, as much as you would use for frying an egg), in
my family we just don't use the oil. Just a non-stick pan and that's
it. I prefer it this way - it is less mess to eat and it also stays
really tasty when cold, while oil-fried version gets a bit sad. In
fact, this article has inspired me to go and cook some right now.
Review: really tasty, but I really can't see the logic of making a
quick and easy pancake recipe and being left with 2 egg whites. Use
whole eggs, you probably won't need to add cream, and perhaps the
pancakes won't be quite as soft -- but still delicious.
S(Internet address):
https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/farmers-cheese-pancakes-syrniki
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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 478 Calories; 33g Fat (54.0%
calories from fat); 18g Protein; 45g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber;
157mg Cholesterol; 325mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 2 Lean
Meat; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 5 Fat; 1 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.
NOTES : 2020 - 1104