Boiled Cheese Dumplings (Papanasi)
Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian Recipes Desserts Cheese Romanian
This is no mistake! I know it was Angela's turn to post today's recipe, but we have a little surprise for you. Boiled papanasi are a co-production of ours - we met yesterday afternoon at my place and prepared them together. I enjoyed the time spent together, I rarely have someone in the kitchen to help me... actually never if I think about it properly.
We used good homemade cheese brought by Angela and a special "twist": we boiled the last batch of papanasi in water with rum and we both agreed that you can feel the difference, in a good way - the papanasi gained a more distinctive aroma compared to the classic ones boiled only in water. So we recommend you try it too.
Traditional Romanian recipe for boiled papanasi.
Ingredients
1 kg cottage cheese
250g semolina
4 tablespoons sugar
2 vanilla extracts
3 large eggs
100g butter
200g breadcrumbs
4 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup rum (optional)
Yield: 45 pieces
How to prepare boiled cheese dumplings (papanasi)
- Crumble the cheese well with a fork. Add the semolina and mix well. Add the vanilla and sugar and mix again. Then add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each. Depending on how the cheese is - drier or more with whey - you may need one more or one less egg. Let the mixture rest for about half an hour.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil. If desired, add rum to the water - you can really taste the difference.
- In a wide pan, melt the butter and add the breadcrumbs. Toast over medium heat until golden. Turn off the heat and add the sugar.
- With wet hands, shape small balls from the cheese mixture, about the size of ping-pong balls. Wet your hands after every 2-3 dumplings - it's easier that way.
- When the water boils, turn the heat to minimum and wait until the water stops bubbling. At that moment, you can add dumplings to the pot until you cover the bottom. Don't crowd them too much - better to boil them in several batches. The dumplings are done when they rise to the surface.
- Remove them with a slotted spoon and toss them directly into the pan with breadcrumbs. Shake the pan well with horizontal back-and-forth movements so the dumplings roll and coat themselves with breadcrumbs.
- Transfer to a plate and serve dusted with vanilla sugar, with your favorite jam, or with a delicate sauce (strawberry, vanilla, cinnamon, etc.).
The cheese mixture
Toast the breadcrumbs
Shape the dumplings
Roll the boiled dumplings in breadcrumbs
Boiled Cheese Dumplings (Papanasi)
