Syrnyky
Golden curd-cheese pancakes with sour cream and jam
Syrnyky are the Sunday breakfast of Ukrainian childhoods: small, thick pancakes made almost entirely of tvorih, the dry farmer's cheese sold at every market in Odesa and Lviv, held together with an egg and a little flour and fried until golden. Inside they should be soft and creamy, like a baked cheesecake, outside lightly crisp. They are served with sour cream and cherry jam, or honey. Tvorih is made with lactic culture rather than rennet, so it suits vegetarians; dry cottage cheese pressed through a sieve or quark also works. Chef's tip: if your cheese is wet, wrap it in a cloth and press it under a weight for an hour; common mistake is adding extra flour to rescue a wet mixture, which makes syrnyky dense and rubbery.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the syrnyky
To serve
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Press 1 ⅛ lb tvorih (farmer's cheese) or dry quark through a sieve or mash it thoroughly with a fork until there are no large curds; this gives the creamy inside.
Step 2: Beat in 1 egg, 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1 pinch salt, then stir in 4 tbsp plain flour. The mixture should be soft but hold its shape when you scoop it; if it is very sticky, add one more tablespoon of flour only.
Step 3: Dust your hands and a board with flour. Shape the mixture into 12 balls, flatten each into a patty 1.5–2 cm thick and roll the edges in flour so they are neat and round.
Step 4: Heat 4 tbsp sunflower oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat until a pinch of flour sizzles. Fry the syrnyky for 3–4 minutes, until the underside is deep golden.
4 minStep 5: Turn them, lower the heat to medium-low and fry 4–5 minutes more. They are done when both sides are golden and the sides spring back when pressed. Too high a heat browns the outside while the centre stays raw.
5 minStep 6: Drain briefly on kitchen paper and serve warm with 4 tbsp sour cream (smetana) and 4 tbsp cherry jam.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 390 kcal
- Protein
- 24 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does syrnyky take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of egg?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Berry overnight oats
Stir everything together before bed and breakfast is ready when you wake up. Chia seeds make it thick and creamy, and frozen berries thaw overnight into a jammy layer.
Muesli
A soaked, Bircher-style muesli you stir together the night before. The oats soften in the yogurt overnight and the grated apple keeps it fresh and juicy. In the morning, add the strawberries and breakfast is ready. Any berries work in place of the strawberries.
Shakshuka
A one-pan breakfast that works just as well for dinner. Peppers and onions are cooked down with cumin and smoked paprika, then eggs are nestled in and poached until the whites set and the yolks stay runny. Bring the pan to the table with plenty of bread for dipping.
