Syrnyky (сирники, curd cheese pancakes)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •A heavy frying pan or cast-iron skillet
• •A fork for mashing the curd
• •A cloth-lined sieve if the cheese needs draining
• •A thin spatula

Instructions

1. 1

   Dry the cheese

   Press the tvoroh between your fingers. It should crumble softly, not smear like yogurt. If it feels wet, wrap it in a clean cloth, set it in a sieve over a bowl, and let it drain until the cloth is damp and the cheese feels lighter. This is the step that saves you from adding handfuls of flour later.

   If your cheese is very lumpy, push it through a sieve or mash it with a fork. Don't make it perfectly smooth; a few small curds give syrnyky their tenderness.
2. 2

   Mix the curd

   Put the cheese in a bowl with the sugar, salt, vanilla if using, flour, and semolina if you want a firmer middle. Mix with a fork until the flour disappears and the cheese looks like soft damp crumbs. It should clump when you squeeze it, then break apart without sticking badly to your fingers.

3. 3

   Add egg last

   Beat the egg in a small cup, then stir it into the cheese mixture a little at a time. Stop when the mixture holds together in a soft mound; you may not need every drop if your cheese was moist. The egg goes in last so it binds the curd instead of loosening it into batter.

   If the mixture suddenly feels too soft, wait before adding more flour. Let it sit while the pan warms; flour and semolina drink slowly.
4. 4

   Shape the patties

   Dust a board with flour. Scoop the mixture into generous spoonfuls, roll each one lightly through the flour, and pat into thick little rounds with straight sides. Don't press them flat. Syrnyky need height, because the center should stay soft while the outside browns.

5. 5

   Fry until golden

   Warm the butter and oil together in a heavy pan over medium-low heat. When the butter smells nutty but has not darkened, lay in the syrnyky with space between them. The sound should be a steady polite sizzle. Fry until the lower edge shows a clear golden ring and the kitchen smells like toasted milk, then turn them carefully and brown the other side.

   If they brown before they feel set, the pan is too hot. Lower the heat and let the cheese catch up. A rushed syrnyk looks handsome outside and tastes raw in the middle.
6. 6

   Serve hot

   Move the syrnyky to a warm plate as they finish. Serve at once with cold smetana spooned over the top, honey running into the browned edges, and sour cherry varennia if the jar is open. Eat them while the crust still whispers under the fork.

Chef Tips

• •Tvoroh is the first choice. If you can't find it, use dry farmer's cheese, well-drained cottage cheese, or ricotta that has sat in a cloth-lined sieve until it behaves. Cook it anyway; the table matters more than the shop.
• •The step that forgives you is shaping. Make them round, oval, a little crooked, nobody cares. The step that doesn't forgive is wet cheese, because wet cheese demands too much flour.
• •For a bit more modern breakfast, add lemon zest or a handful of raisins. I like them plain with sour cherry varennia, because the tart fruit wakes up the sweet curd.
• •Cook the first one as a test. If it slumps, add a spoon of flour to the bowl. If it feels tough, lower the heat and handle the rest more gently.

Advance Preparation

• •If your cheese is wet, drain it in the fridge for 2 hours or overnight.
• •The shaped syrnyky can wait on a floured tray in the fridge for a few hours. Fry them straight from cold, gently.
• •Leftovers reheat best in a dry pan over low heat until the edges crisp again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 180g)