Papanași (boiled cottage cheese dumplings), Transylvanian style
In Transylvania, papanași (cheese dumplings) are often boiled rather than fried: soft inside, with semolina in the mixture and a coating of golden breadcrumbs toasted in butter. They are best warm, with sour cream and a spoonful of preserve.
Classic method
Ingredients
- For the papanași mixture
- 400 g fresh cottage cheese from Ferma cu Omenie, well drained
- 1 egg
- 60 g semolina
- 15 g sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Finely grated zest of ½ lemon, optional
- 1 pinch of salt
- For the toasted breadcrumbs
- 50 g butter, for the breadcrumbs
- 70 g breadcrumbs
- 20 g sugar, for the breadcrumbs
- To serve
- Sour cream and blueberry preserve, to serve (optional)
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How to make it
- Drain the fresh cottage cheese well. Put it in a bowl and mix it with the egg, the 15 g sugar, the vanilla, the lemon zest and the salt.
- Add the 60 g semolina and mix until even, without overworking it. Cover and leave in the fridge for 25 minutes so the semolina can absorb the moisture. If the cheese is very wet, drain it better before adding more semolina.
- Meanwhile, heat the butter in a frying pan, add the breadcrumbs and toast them over a low heat, stirring constantly, until golden. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the 20 g sugar.
- Wet your hands and shape about 14–16 small, round papanași. If the mixture is too soft to hold its shape, add 1 tablespoon of semolina and leave it for another 10 minutes.
- In a wide saucepan, bring lightly salted water almost to the boil. Lower the heat, add the papanași one at a time and cook them gently, without a rolling boil. Gently loosen them from the bottom if needed.
- Once the papanași rise to the surface, leave them for another 3–4 minutes, depending on their size. Break one open to check that the semolina in the centre is cooked and no longer has a raw texture.
- Lift them out with a slotted spoon, let them drain briefly and roll them in the toasted breadcrumbs. Serve them warm with sour cream and blueberry preserve.
Thermomix adaptation TM6
The TM6 is used for the mixture. The papanași are boiled in a saucepan, and the breadcrumbs are toasted in a frying pan for a more even result.
Ingredients
- For the papanași mixture
- 400 g fresh cottage cheese from Ferma cu Omenie, well drained
- 1 egg
- 60 g semolina
- 15 g sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Finely grated zest of ½ lemon, optional
- 1 pinch of salt
- For the toasted breadcrumbs
- 50 g butter, for the breadcrumbs
- 70 g breadcrumbs
- 20 g sugar, for the breadcrumbs
- To serve
- Sour cream and blueberry preserve, to serve (optional)
How to make it
- Put the well-drained cheese, egg, sugar, vanilla, salt and lemon zest into the TM6 mixing bowl: 10 sec / speed 3. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl with the spatula, with the appliance stopped.
- Add 60 g semolina: 10 sec / reverse / speed 2. Transfer to a bowl and leave in the fridge for 25 minutes; the semolina needs time to absorb the moisture.
- For golden breadcrumbs, melt 50 g butter in a frying pan, add 70 g breadcrumbs and toast over a low heat, stirring. Turn off the heat and stir in 20 g sugar.
- With wet hands, shape about 14–16 balls. If they are too soft, add 1 tablespoon of semolina and wait another 10 minutes.
- Cook the papanași in a saucepan of lightly salted water, without a rolling boil. Once they rise to the surface, cook them for another 3–4 minutes and check the centre of one. Do not cook them in the TM6 mixing bowl: the blades could damage them.
- Lift them out with a slotted spoon, roll them in the breadcrumbs and serve with sour cream and preserve.
Step by step
Nutritional values
Values per serving are not shown until the yield and the actual weight after cooking have been checked. The sour cream and preserve are optional extras.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the mixture need to rest?
The semolina needs time to absorb some of the moisture from the cheese. That way the papanași keep their shape as they cook, without adding too much semolina.
Can I make them with creamy cheese?
Very wet cheese can make the mixture too soft. Drain it in a sieve in the fridge, then check the consistency before shaping.
Can I make them ahead?
You can shape them and keep them covered in the fridge until you cook them the same day. For the best texture, roll them in the breadcrumbs just before serving.
Source: Cheese used: fresh cottage cheese from Ferma cu Omenie. Recipe adapted for După gust from the traditional Transylvanian method; reference consulted: the Ferma cu Omenie recipe. The quantitie
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