Varškėčiai (Farmer’s Cheese Pancakes)
Fluffy, Decadent, and Delicious!
“A beloved Lithuanian comfort classic, varškėčiai are tender farmer’s cheese pancakes that marry the delicate tang of fresh curd with a lightly crisp golden exterior. Soft, airy, and subtly sweet, they offer a warm embrace of homestyle simplicity, served with cool sour cream, luscious berry preserves, or a dusting of powdered sugar for a charmingly nostalgic indulgence. Adjust the dough’s flour and sugar to achieve your perfect balance of fluffiness and richness.”
Serves 4 (2 each) Cooks In 1hr Difficulty Beginner
Ingredients
400g 9% varškė (or farmers cheese)
2 eggs
1-3 tbsp sugar (1 savory – 3 sweet)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
115g all purpose flour (unbleached)
Method
Preparation
- In small batches, press cheese through fine metal mesh sieve with the back edge of a large spoon.
- Crack in eggs and thoroughly mix into the cheese until cheese has a gentle yellow hue.
- Mix in sugar, salt, baking powder.
- Mix in flour.
Frying
- Get a large frying pan and a lid for it and set heat to low.
- Add enough oil to the pan to coat the bottom.
- Oil your hands.
- Grab about a large spoonful of dough with your hands and shape into a flat round.
- Add 4 of these dough rounds to the pan and immediately cover the pan with a lid.
- Let them cook for a few minutes and with a flat spatula check the bottoms of the Varškėčiai. Flip when deep gold brown in color.
- Immediately cover with lid again and repeat step 10.
- Allow to cool for a minute before serving.
Serving Options
- Lightly dust them with powdered sugar using a sieve.
- Dollop of sour cream.
- A little bit of sugar on the sour cream.
- Fresh berries.
