Syrniki – easy cheesy pancakes
After this unexpected and much longer than desired hiatus, we are back to (hopefully) regular broadcasts. The truth is that I had these cheesy pancakes, commonly known as syrniki, photographed over a month ago. Then life happened. Early last month we set off for a family vacation. In the days leading up to it, I diligently made sure to have the pictures ready because I very naively assumed I would have time to blog during kids’ nap time. In reality, we walked about 150km in 2 weeks. This is according to a phone application that does not include the time or effort spent on the playgrounds. Nor does it account for pushing a “lightweight travel stroller” (read: zero suspension) along cobbled streets in an already hilly terrain. And that’s probably a blessing because real numbers and figures would be too exhausting.
Coming back to the matter at hand though. These syrniki are somewhat of a staple. They had a regular appearance on our breakfast table when I was growing up. And despite the entire family being brought down by a nasty virus almost as soon as we got back (another reason for the delay in updates), this is one thing I make constantly for my firstborn to take to the nursery. Syrniki are quick and easy to make, they are very healthy and nutritious, and they go well with a variety of toppings. Now that you know how to make quark, it would be a shame to not try them out.
Syrniki ingredients:
- 1 portion of quark (about 500g)
- 1 egg
- 3tbsp sugar, to taste
- 1tbsp baking powder
- 1/2tsp salt
- about 2tbsp flour, plus extra for rolling
Directions:
- Whisk together 1 egg, 3tbsp sugar, 1tbsp baking powder and 1/2tsp salt until well combined and slightly foamy.
- Add about 500g quark and mix well.
- Sprinkle not more than 2tbsp of flour and stir well. (The amount of flour depends on how wet your cheese is. Too much flour would make syrniki more doughy and less cheesy.)
- Spoon a bit of the mixture onto a lightly floured plate. The size is entirely up to you, they can be as small as a teaspoon and sometimes slightly larger than a tablespoon.
- Warm a large frying pan over medium heat. Roll each syrnik lightly in flour, pat into a circle or oval and gently set in the pan.
- Cook on one side for a few minutes until lightly browned then flip with a spatula onto the other side.
- Once cooked on both sides, move syrniki onto a plate and repeat the process until all the batter is used up.
Syrniki are best served warm, topped with honey, jam or, traditionally, sour cream. They are still pretty tasty cold and keep well in airtight container in refrigerator for a few days.
