How to Make Syrniki

Syrniki is the Russian word for farmer cheese patties. They are a popular Russian breakfast dish that is enjoyed by many in such countries as Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova. People living in the United States who immigrated from one of these countries keep the breakfast tradition alive by making syrniki in their homes not just for their kids but for themselves too.

You don't have to be from these countries to enjoy and love syrniki. They are very easy to make and they taste delicious when topped with sour cream and honey or jams/preserves. They are a favorite dish of mine and I always make it at my house.

There are many recipes for syrniki out there so I thought I'd share one of mine.

 

Syrniki

Ingredients

• 1 Package Farmer Cheese, (around a 1 lb. though can be slightly  less)
• 1 Jumbo Egg
• 1 Medium Apple (Ginger Gold, Honey Crisp, or Granny Smith)
• Cinnamon (to taste)
• Pinch Sea Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Flour
• Raisins/Dried Berries (optional)
• Grapeseed oil
• Sour Cream (to serve)
• Honey/Jam/Preserves (to serve)

To make the syrniki (farmer cheese patties) I prefer to use the following farmer cheese: Lifeway Bazarny Premium White Cheese, which I buy at Russian supermarkets. If you can't get your hands on this type of farmer cheese you can use any other farmer cheese available at your local supermarket.

How to Make Syrniki (Farmer Cheese Patties)

1. Empty the package of farmer cheese into a large bowl and mash it well so that you have small curds. Make sure you don't have large chunks of farmer cheese left in the bowl. If you do mash it again.
2. Crack a jumbo egg into a small bowl and beat well. Add it to the bowl with the farmer cheese and mix well.
3. Add a pinch of sea salt, one heaping tablespoon of sugar (for sweeter taste you can add more), and cinnamon (to taste) to the farmer cheese. Mix well.
4. Wash and peel a medium-size apple (Ginger Gold, Honey Crisp, Granny Smith, etc.) and shred using a manual shredder or food processor. Squeeze out the juice from the shredded apple into a bowl and sat aside so you can enjoy some freshly squeezed apple juice later. Add the shredded apple to the farmer cheese and mix. If you want you can also add raisins and/or dried berries as well. I love adding dried sour cherries to my syrniki.
5. Add two tablespoons of all-purpose bleached flour to the farmer cheese and mix well. When everything is mixed well you can start making the farmer cheese patties. They can be big or small, thick or thin. It really depends on your preference.
6. When you make your farmer cheese patties you have to coat them with flour so they don't stick to the skillet when you fry them. The best way to do that is to take a large cutting board and cover it with flour and then dip each side of the patty into the flour, making sure all sides are covered with the flour.
7. After you coat all your farmer cheese patties with flour add some Grapeseed oil (or whichever oil you use for cooking) to a skillet and place over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot, place the farmer cheese patties inside and cook on both sides until they are golden brown. Make sure the syrniki don't burn or they will absorb the burned odor.
8. When the syrniki are done cooking remove onto a plate and serve with a heaping tablespoon of sour cream and honey, jam or preserves. You can also try pairing them with a salad of tomatoes, white onions and fresh basil sprinkled with sea salt and drizzled with olive oil. I personally love it this way! They taste delicious together.

Syrniki with salad on the side

Syrniki before they are fried