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Traditional Fried Romanian Papanași (Crisp Cottage Cheese Doughnuts with Sour Cream and Wild Blueberry Jam)
The undisputed king of Romanian desserts: golden crispy spheres made from fresh cow's curd cheese and lemon zest, topped with their playful little crown, drenched in cold sour cream and tart wild blueberry preserve.
Prep
20 min
Cook
15 min
Total
35 min
Ingredients
4servings
- Well-drained full-fat Romanian cottage cheese (brânză de vaci)400 g
- All-purpose wheat flour160 g
- Large eggs2 piece
- Vanilla sugar3 tbsp
- Baking soda activated with lemon juice0.5 tsp
- Grated organic lemon zest1 tsp
- Sunflower oil for deep-frying400 ml
- Cold heavy sour cream250 g
- Wild blueberry jam200 g
Preparation Steps
1
In a bowl, mash cottage cheese with a fork. Add eggs, sugar, lemon zest, a pinch of salt, and activated baking soda. Mix thoroughly.
4 min timer
2
Fold in flour gradually with a spatula to form a soft, slightly sticky dough. Divide into 4 large balls and 4 small spheres (crowns).
4 min timer
3
On a floured surface, flatten each large ball and poke a hole through the center, opening it into a ring shape.
3 min timer
4
Heat oil over medium-low heat (165°C). Deep-fry rings and crowns for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Drain on paper towels. Assemble on plates: doughnut ring, generous sour cream, crown on top, and doused with wild blueberry jam.
8 min timer
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Provenance & Public Domain Audit
Source: Patrimoniul Culinar Tradițional Românesc / USDA Public Domain Collection (United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) & Romanian Gastronomic Heritage)
Legal status: Public Domain (17 U.S.C. § 105) • 17 U.S.C. § 105
License: Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal
