Although it’s an easy-to-make dessert, it took years before I found the perfect recipe of these cottage cheese dumplings (túrógombóc). It was shared by a chef in a newspaper and since then my dumplings are neither hard nor too soft, they always have the right consistency. The secret is that you have to let the combined mixture rest in the fridge for 2 hours before you form balls and cook them.
photo: zserbo.com
Ingredients:
- 500 g (~1 lb+1 2/3 oz) cottage cheese
- 3 eggs
- 120 g (~2/3 cup) semolina
- pinch of salt
- 40 g (~1 1/2 oz) butter
- 100 g – 150 g (~3/4 – 1 1/4 cups) fine breadcrumbs
- sour cream
- powdered sugar
In a bowl combine cottage cheese, egg yolks, semolina and salt.
Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
Gradually fold the beaten egg whites into the cottage cheese mixture.
Put the mixture into the fridge for 2 hours.
With damp hands form balls from the mixture and set them aside.
Put a large pot of salted water on the stove and bring it to the boil.
Meanwhile in a frying pan heat up butter, add breadcrumbs and toast until golden brown. Keep stirring and do not let the breadcrumbs burn.
Remove pan from the heat and set it aside.
One by one slide the balls into the boiling water. Wait until the dumplings come to the surface – carefully stir once or twice to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pot – and cook them for 2-3 minutes.
Remove dumplings with a slotted spoon and slide them into the golden brown breadcrumbs.
Shake the pan gently to coat the dumplings.
Dust the dumplings with powdered sugar and serve them with sour cream.
