Varškėčiai

Ingredients

• 500 g dry curd cheese or twaróg
• 2 eggs
• 3 tbsp caster sugar
• 0.5 tsp fine salt
• 6 tbsp plain flour, plus more for shaping
• 2 tbsp fine semolina
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• zest of half a lemon
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
• soured cream and lingonberry jam to serve

Before you cook

• Tip the curd cheese into a sieve and press out any whey.
• Take the eggs out of the fridge.
• Dust a board lightly with flour.

Steps

1. Mash the drained curd cheese in a bowl with a fork until no large lumps remain.
2. Beat in the eggs, sugar, salt, vanilla and lemon zest.
3. Stir in the flour and the semolina.
4. Leave the mixture to stand for ten minutes so the semolina swells.
5. Tip the mixture onto the floured board and roll it into a log about 5 cm thick.
6. Cut the log into 2 cm slices.
7. Press each slice gently flat between your palms.
8. Dust both sides of each patty with flour.
9. Heat half the butter with half the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
10. Lay half the patties in the pan without crowding them.
11. Fry for three minutes until the undersides are golden brown.
12. Turn the patties and fry them for three minutes more.
13. Lift them onto a warm plate.
14. Wipe the pan out and fry the second batch in the remaining butter and oil.
15. Serve hot with soured cream and lingonberry jam.