Sweet Cottage Cheese Dumplings: Romanian Papanași Fierți
Papanași is one of the most delicious and popular Romanian desserts, but not everyone knows that there are actually two types: fried and boiled. The fried papanași version is the most well-known and can be found on the menus of almost all traditional Romanian restaurants.
However, in Transylvania and Bucovina, the fluffy, boiled cottage cheese dumplings are just as popular, especially as a homemade dessert.
Cottage cheese is the key ingredient in these dumplings, and they pair perfectly with homemade jam (blueberry, strawberry, cherry, or blackberry) and a dollop of full-fat Greek yogurt or the local favorite—sour cream.
Tip: Slightly flattening the dumplings with a wooden spoon helps them cook evenly all the way through. Adding semolina to the mixture makes the dumplings extra fluffy and flavorful. It’s a recipe that needs no upgrade!
Enjoy this traditional and super yummy Romanian sweet cottage cheese dumplings.
Sweet Cottage Cheese Dumplings – Romanian Papanași Fierți
Ingredients
For the cheese dumplings:
- 250 g cottage cheese (drained)
- 60 g white flour (plus extra for shaping)
- 50 g semolina
- 1 egg
- lemon or orange zest
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 30 g sugar
Breadcrumb coating:
- 25 g butter
- 100 g breadcrumbs
- 50 g brown sugar
- ½ tsp cinnamon
To serve
- blueberry jam (our favorite jam)
- sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
Instructions
- Bring 1 liter (4 ¼ cups) of water to a boil in a large pot and add ½ teaspoon of salt.
- In a bowl, mix cottage cheese, flour, sugar, semolina, egg, zest, and vanilla until well combined. The dough will be soft but should hold its shape.
- With well-floured hands, take a spoonful of the mixture and shape it into 12-15 round dumplings (papanași).
- Flatten each dumpling slightly with a wooden spoon to ensure even cooking.
- Carefully drop the dumplings into the boiling water and let them simmer for about 5 minutes until they float to the surface.
Prepare the breadcrumb coating:
- Meanwhile, in a pan, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Add breadcrumbs and fry for 2 minutes, then mix in brown sugar and cinnamon. Remove from heat.
- Once the dumplings are cooked, remove them with a slotted spoon and roll them in the breadcrumb mixture until evenly coated.
Serving:
- Serve the papanași warm, topped with blueberry jam and a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt.
Notes
- If the cottage cheese is too soft, add a little more flour and semolina to make the dough easier to handle.
- Papanași tend to firm up as they cool, so they’re best enjoyed fresh and warm.
Related: Plum & Grape Hencleș (Transylvanian Cake)
Related: Romanian Plum Dumplings (Galuste cu Prune)
Related: Romanian Chocolate Cake: Amandine
Related: Romanian Vegan Donuts
Related: Poale-n Brâu: Romanian Sweet Cheese Buns
