Syrnyky is a dish I order anytime I see it on the menu. Traveling around Ukraine, I ate these small fried cheesecakes at canteens in Odesa, diners in Kherson or fancy restaurants in Lviv and they have always been satisfying. In Kyiv, a restaurant chain called Puzata Hata, “pot-bellied hut,” has a wonderful oven-baked version of this popular treat. Syrnyky can be a great breakfast option or a luscious dessert, depending on what toppings you choose. Whatever way they are served, this dish is the ultimate comfort food.
Syrnyky are made from a fresh cheese called syr in Ukrainian. It’s a type of farmer’s cheese, with small, fairly dry curds and a sour flavor reminiscent of yogurt. The closest substitute is any soft white cheese, like tvorog, twaróg, quark, or even well-drained cottage cheese. Since the flavor of syrnyky is dominated by cheese, with flour being used merely as a binder, pick your favorite variety.
Syrnyky, Ukrainian Fried Cheesecakes
The closest substitute for Ukrainian fresh cheese is any soft white cheese, like tvorog, twaróg, quark, ricotta or even well-drained cottage cheese. If your cheese has a loose consistency, place it into a paper towel-lined sieve and leave to drain for 1-2h (or overnight in the fridge.) Use the flour amount below as a guideline and be prepared to add more if your dough doesn’t hold shape. If using semolina, set the dough aside for 15-30min and it will absorb extra liquid.
I sometimes even skip adding sugar to the dough, because I prefer serving syrnyky with jam, but a small amount gives syrnyky a nice color.
400-500 g fresh white cheese (9-15% fat), well-drained (see note for substitutions)
1 egg
3 Tbsp (100 g) all-purpose flour or 1.5 Tbsp of flour and 1.5 Tbsp semolina (plus extra for dusting)
1 Tbsp sugar
2-3 Tbsp sunflower oil for frying
1 pinch of salt
vanilla extract
2 Tbsp raisins, soaked in water for 5 min and drained (optional)
Mix cheese with salt, sugar, vanilla extract and egg. Stir with a fork until smooth. Add flour (or flour and semolina). Mix until combined. If the dough looks too wet, add more flour until the dough is soft and sticky but holds its shape. (If you are familiar with the dough for Italian potato gnocchi, you want a similar texture.) Add the raisins (optional) and set aside. At this point, the dough can be placed in the fridge and left for as long as 24h. Use it straight out of the fridge.
Flour a cutting board generously. Using an ice cream scooper, portion small, apricot-sized balls. Round the balls with your hands and dust them with flour. Flatten the balls slightly and set them aside while you preheat the pan.
Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Fry the cheesecakes for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Be careful not to burn them and reduce the heat as needed.
Transfer the cheesecakes onto a plate lined with a paper towel. Serve with jam and sour cream. You can also serve syrnyky with fresh fruit, maple syrup, honey, whipped cream or Greek yogurt.
Photography by Bois de Jasmin
6 Comments
Carol Melancon: I think a good substitute for syr, that might be slightly more available in the US, is Creole Cream Cheese. From Wikipedia: “Creole cream cheese is a form of farmer cheese that is traditional in the New Orleans area of Louisiana in the United States. It is made from skim milk, buttermilk and rennet, has a mild, slightly tart, slightly sweet taste, and is frequently mixed with cream, sugar and fruit and served as a dessert. It is often used to make Creole cream cheese ice cream.[1]”
It looks a lot like cottage cheese and I can get this brand (https://www.mauthefarms.com/) at my local grocery store in Baton Rouge. It’s available at several stores in Louisiana and Mississippi. There are also several recipes online if you’d like to make it yourself. June 21, 2024 at 9:28am
Victoria: Thank you very much, Carol. It looks like a perfect option. I remember that Whole Foods carried a brand of farmer’s cheese that was great for these cakes. June 21, 2024 at 9:34am
Aurora: Thank you Victoria, another delicious Ukrainian recipe. I’ll have to see what is available here at the supermarket to make them, they might have ricotta, I suppose fromage blanc is too liquid. June 21, 2024 at 12:49pm
Victoria: Yes, fromage blanc is too liquid. If you have a Polish store nearby, then you can easily find the right cheese there. Usually, Polish stores carry twarog and you can even select the fat percentage. I prefer the full-fat or 30%, but anything works. June 24, 2024 at 8:09am
Karina: I’ve tried this recipe with quark last weekend and it turned out delicious, filling and a perfect weekend breakfast with some fresh berries. So much so, I’m making more – have added some orange zest to the dough which is now waiting in the fridge for tomorrow’s breakfast. July 20, 2024 at 1:49pm
Victoria: Thank you for letting me know. I’m so glad that you liked them. You can definitely add any other spice or flavor. I also like a combination of vanilla, lemon zest and dried apricots. July 20, 2024 at 8:29pm