Papanasi (Romanian Fried Cheese Doughnuts)
Papanasi are a beloved Romanian dessert consisting of sweet cheese doughnuts, typically fried until golden and served warm with a generous topping of sour cream and fruit preserves, most commonly blueberry jam.
🧂 Ingredients
- 500 g Cottage cheese (drained well)
- 2 large Eggs
- 3 tbsp Granulated sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1 tsp Lemon zest
- 300 g All-purpose flour(plus more for dusting)
- 1.5 tsp Baking powder
- 0.25 tsp Salt
- for frying Vegetable oil
- for serving Sour cream (smântână)
- for serving Blueberry preserves (or other fruit jam)
- for dusting Powdered sugar (optional, for dusting)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
In a large bowl, combine the well-drained cottage cheese, eggs, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon zest. Mix until well combined.
💡 Tip: Ensure the cottage cheese is very well drained to prevent a sticky dough. - 2
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add this dry mixture to the cheese mixture, stirring until a shaggy dough forms.
💡 Tip: The dough should be slightly sticky but manageable. Add only a little more flour if absolutely necessary. - 3
Lightly flour your hands and knead the dough gently until it's smooth and homogenous. Divide the dough into 6 equal portions.
💡 Tip: Avoid overworking the dough, as this can make the papanasi tough. - 4
Shape each portion into a large ring (like a donut) and a smaller ball. Make a hole in the center of each ring using your finger or the handle of a wooden spoon.
- 5
Heat about 2-3 inches of vegetable oil in a deep pot or Dutch oven over medium heat to 350-360°F (175-180°C).
💡 Tip: Use a thermometer to ensure the oil is at the correct temperature for even frying. - 6
Carefully place the papanasi rings and balls into the hot oil, frying in batches to avoid overcrowding. Fry for about 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown and puffed up.
⏱️ 8 minutes💡 Tip: The smaller balls will cook faster than the rings. - 7
Remove the fried papanasi with a slotted spoon and place them on a wire rack lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
💡 Tip: Serve them warm for the best texture and flavor. - 8
To serve, place a warm papanasi ring on a plate, top with a generous dollop of sour cream, followed by a spoonful of blueberry preserves. Place the smaller fried ball on top and add more sour cream and preserves, with an optional dusting of powdered sugar.
💡 Tip: The combination of warm, crispy dough, cool sour cream, and sweet jam is essential to the experience.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Ensure the cottage cheese is very dry; excess moisture will make the dough too sticky.
- ✓Do not add too much extra flour, as this will result in dense papanasi.
- ✓Fry at the correct temperature to ensure they are cooked through without burning.
- ✓Serve immediately after frying for the best texture.
🔄 Variations
- Use other fruit preserves like sour cherry, raspberry, or apricot.
- Some recipes use Twarog cheese or a mix of ricotta and quark.
- Boiled papanasi are also traditional, though less common than the fried version.