Cottage cheese pancakes with blueberries and strawberries | Network News

These stacked beauties are known as syrniki – traditional Russian cottage cheese pancakes, pan-fried until golden and lightly crisp on the outside, soft and tangy on the inside. They are made primarily with farmer’s cheese (tvorog), which is similar to ricotta but drier and more crumbly, giving syrniki their distinctive texture and slightly tangy flavour. Because tvorog may be hard to find at your local supermarket, cottage cheese is the most common substitute, and many syrniki recipes are built around it. Small-curd, full-fat cottage cheese works best. Avoid low-fat/watery versions, as they can add too much moisture.

Since cottage cheese holds more moisture even after draining, you may need an extra 1 tablespoon or so of flour to get a dough that holds its shape without being sticky. Add it gradually, as you want the dough to just barely come together, not to turn stiff. Syrniki should not be fried in olive oil, as it has too much of a strong savoury smell. You’ll want to use a neutral vegetable oil such as canola or coconut oil.