The recipe for preparing papanasi with cherry jam

The first time I made papanasi at home, it was because I had fresh cheese in the fridge and a few jars of cherry jam forgotten on the shelf. Since then, I’ve repeated the recipe many times because it’s simple and made with readily available ingredients. Every time, I’m amazed at how easily you can create something delicious with the right texture.

Quick Info

Total Time: about 50 minutes
Servings: 16 papanasi (8 people, 2 papanasi each)
Difficulty: medium, nothing complicated if you follow the steps

Ingredients

- 800 g fresh cow's cheese, well-drained
- 4 medium eggs
- 350 g all-purpose flour (sifted)
- 1 packet baking powder (10 g)
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar (about 100 g)
- 500 ml oil (for frying, I use sunflower oil)
- sour cream (for serving)
- cherry jam (or any jam you prefer)

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine the cheese, eggs, and sugar. Mix with a wooden spoon or a mixer until the mixture is smooth. If the cheese is grainy, crumble it well beforehand to avoid large lumps.

2. Add the sifted flour along with the baking powder. Start mixing, and then knead with your hands until you achieve a soft but not sticky dough. If it’s too soft, add an extra tablespoon or two of flour, but only if necessary. You can feel it: the dough should be moldable but not hard.

3. Sprinkle a little flour on your work surface. Using a spoon, take some dough and form balls about the size of a walnut. Make sure each one is the same size so they fry evenly. Set aside about a quarter of the dough for the small balls, which will be the "caps."

4. Roll each ball in flour and press with your thumb in the center to form a ring or disc with a hole (like a mini donut). It’s best if the holes aren’t too large, as they will shrink while frying.

5. From the remaining dough, form the small balls, about the size of a large cherry. Dust them with flour as well.

6. In a deep pot or frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Do not add the papanasi until the oil is hot enough, but not smoking. Test with a small piece of dough: if it rises and sizzles lightly, it’s ready.

7. Fry the papanasi in batches, without overcrowding the pan. Leave them for 2-3 minutes on each side until they turn golden brown. Remove them to a paper towel to absorb excess oil.

8. Repeat the same process with the small balls.

9. To serve, place each papanasi on a plate, add a bit of sour cream on top, place a small ball over the sour cream, and then add a teaspoon of cherry jam. Papanasi are best served warm but are also good at room temperature.

Why I Make This Recipe Often

I find it one of the easiest cheese desserts, hassle-free, and the ingredients are easy to find. Papanasi don’t require resting time for the dough and turn out well even if you don’t have much experience. They remain delicious the next day if stored properly, and with jam and sour cream, everyone can add as much as they like.

Tips

- If the cheese is very wet, drain it well before using. You can place it in a sieve over a bowl in the fridge for 1-2 hours.
- Don’t add all the flour at once if you’re unsure about the consistency. Flour varies in absorption.
- Don’t fry on too high heat – they brown quickly on the outside but remain raw in the center.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan; the papanasi will puff up a bit while frying.
- For shaping, slightly damp or floured hands help prevent the dough from sticking.

Substitutions

- If you can’t find fresh cow's cheese, ricotta or well-drained cottage cheese without whey will work.
- All-purpose flour can be replaced with gluten-free flour, but the texture will be slightly different.
- Sugar can be adjusted to taste or replaced with another type of sweetener.
- Any jam can be served, not just cherry – I’ve tried it with blueberries, apricots, and sour cherries.

Variations

- You can add grated lemon or orange zest for extra flavor.
- For lighter papanasi, beat the egg whites separately and fold them in at the end.
- Some add a little vanilla extract or vanilla sugar to the dough.
- If you want smaller papanasi, make smaller pieces and balls – they bake faster and are easier to serve on buffet platters.

Serving Ideas

- Papanasi are good warm, but they can also be served cold, with fresh sour cream and jam poured over them.
- For a richer dessert, add fresh fruit or chopped nuts.
- If they cool down, you can reheat them gently in the oven or steam them.
- They look great arranged on a platter with the small ball on top, sour cream dripping down the sides, and a dollop of jam on top.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What type of cow's cheese is suitable?
Fresh cheese that is not too wet and not salty is ideal. Do not use brined cheese or salty cheese. If it’s too wet, drain it before use.

2. Can papanasi be baked instead of fried?
Yes, but the texture will be quite different, less crispy on the outside and denser. For the baked version, place the papanasi on parchment paper, brush with a little oil, and bake at 180°C for about 25 minutes.

3. Can I use whole wheat flour?
Yes, but the result will be denser and have a more rustic taste. You can combine all-purpose flour with whole wheat if you want a compromise.

4. What do I do if the dough doesn’t come together?
Add flour gradually, but not too much – usually, overly wet cheese is the cause. A good solution is to let the dough rest in the fridge for 10 minutes to firm up.

5. Can papanasi be frozen?
Fried papanasi do not freeze well, but you can freeze the dough portioned into balls, then thaw and fry as needed.

Nutritional Values (for 1 papanasi with sour cream and jam)

- Calories: approximately 210 kcal
- Protein: 8 g
- Fat: 10 g (including absorbed oil while frying and sour cream)
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Fiber: 0.7 g
It greatly depends on how much sour cream and jam you use, and the absorbed oil can vary based on the frying method.

Storage and Reheating

Papanasi are best stored covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. When serving, you can reheat them in the oven at 160°C for 8-10 minutes or in the microwave, but the texture will change slightly. Do not add sour cream or jam before storage, only before serving. If left at room temperature, do not exceed 6 hours.

Recipe for making papanasi. We mix the cheese with the eggs, sugar, flour (sifted beforehand), and baking powder. We mix well to obtain a soft dough. On the work surface, we sprinkle a little flour. From the dough, we take spoonfuls of the papanasi mixture and form balls the size of a walnut. We roll each ball in flour, and in the center of each ball, we gently press with our finger to form small rings. We set aside a little dough to make smaller balls for each papanas. We heat the oil, then fry the papanasi. Once they are golden brown on both sides, we remove the papanasi and the lids onto a platter covered with paper towels. On top of each papanas, we add sweet cream and then the lid, along with a teaspoon of jam.

 Ingredients: Recipe for preparing papanasi: 800g cottage cheese, 4 eggs, 350g flour, 1 packet of baking powder, 6 tablespoons of sugar, 500ml oil, sour cream, cherry jam.

 Tags:  cheese doughnuts