These Romanian cottage cheese dumplings with semolina or papanasi fierti are incredibly tender and coated in sugary breadcrumbs.
Last week I introduced you to one of my favorite Romanian desserts, one of the best known desserts in Romania: Romanian Cheese Doughnuts with Jam - Papanasi.
Papanasi prajiti, to be exact, means Fried Cheese Doughnuts. Today, I will give you the recipe for another version of papanasi – papanasi fierti, which means that the papanasi are cooked and not fried. So, this would be the healthier version as well!
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Cottage Cheese Dumplings
Although both are called papanasi in Romanian, today’s version differs from last week’s. Last week’s papanasi were decadent fried doughnuts filled with jam and crème fraîche, while today’s are light dumplings, similar to gnocchi, sweetened with a breadcrumb coating.
Try these savory Italian dumplings or Gnudi, too. Or make a Vegetarian Dumpling Soup.
Recipe ingredients
Cottage cheese: Since I can't find the typical brânză de vaci used for Romanian cottage cheese dumplings and cheese doughnuts in Germany, I used regular cottage cheese instead.
Since Romanian brânză de vaci is drier than regular cottage cheese, be sure to drain the cheese before making the dough and add a bit more flour if needed to achieve a manageable consistency. However, avoid adding too much flour, as this can make the dumplings tough instead of airy and light.
Additionally, Romanian fresh cheese has a finer texture, so blend the cottage cheese briefly to achieve a similar consistency, but be careful not to turn it into a paste.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make papanasi fierti?
Dried breadcrumbs: Start by frying the dried breadcrumbs until golden brown, allowing time for them to cool completely. Once cooled, stir in about 2 heaped tablespoons of granulated sugar, adjusting to your taste for sweetness. Remember that this Romanian dessert is typically served with jam, which is also sweet.
- You can make your own breadcrumbs with or without a food processor, too.
Mix the ingredients for the dough and make a ball.
Shape the papanasi: On a floured surface, shape the dough into a sausage, then cut it into 20 pieces. Flour your hands and roll each piece into a ball. Lightly coat the balls in flour and gently pat off any excess. Flatten each ball to form a disk, then press a dent into the center of each disk with your floured finger.
Tip: You’ll need a bit more flour for shaping, but avoid adding too much to keep the dumplings soft rather than chewy. The dough should remain soft and slightly sticky.
Cook the dumplings: Bring a large pot of water to a boil while forming the dumplings. Reduce the heat to medium-low and carefully add the Romanian dumplings, which will sink to the bottom. Use a slotted spoon to gently lift the dumplings and prevent them from sticking.
Cover the pot and simmer the dumplings for 5 minutes. Then, turn off the heat and let them sit in the hot water for an additional 5 minutes. Remove the dumplings with a slotted spoon and drain in a sieve.
Roll the wet dumplings in the breadcrumb and sugar mixture and serve immediately, as they are best enjoyed warm. You can serve them plain or topped with runny jam or a sprinkle of regular or vanilla sugar.
Romanian Cottage Cheese Dumplings – Papanasi fierti
Equipment
- Large pot
Ingredients
Papanasi mixture:
- 1⅛ cups cottage cheese 9 oz/ 250 g, Notes 1, 2
- 1 medium egg
- ¼ cup semolina 1.7 oz/ 50 g
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour 1.7 oz/ 50 g
- 2 tablespoons vanilla sugar or 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
- a good pinch of salt
Breadcrumb coating:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ¾ cup dry breadcrumbs 2.5 oz/ 75 g
- 2 tablespoons sugar or more to taste
- more flour for the working surface
Instructions
- Drain: Place the cottage cheese into a fine-mesh sieve and drain thoroughly.1⅛ cups cottage cheese/ 250 g
- Toast breadcrumbs: Start by preparing the breadcrumbs. Melt the butter in a large pan, add the breadcrumbs, and stir for a few minutes until the breadcrumbs are golden. Transfer to a large bowl and let them get cool. When cold, add the sugar and mix well.¾ cup dry breadcrumbs/ 75 g + 2 tablespoons butter + 2 tablespoons sugar
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a good pinch of salt.
- Combine: In the meantime, mix the drained cottage cheese, egg, and vanilla sugar in a bowl. With the immersion blender, blend the ingredients until you obtain a rough paste. Add the semolina and the flour and mix with a spoon. The dough should be soft and a little bit sticky but still manageable.cottage cheese + 1 medium egg + ¼ cup semolina/ 50 g + ⅓ cup all-purpose flour/ 50 g + 2 tablespoons vanilla sugar
- Dough: Sprinkle the working surface generously with flour. Turn the dough into the flour and form a ball. If the dough is too soft and you cannot really work with it, gradually add a little more flour. Don't overdo it, or the dumplings will turn out too tough. The dough should be very soft, and it is ok if it is still a bit sticky.
- Make dumplings: Flour your hands and form a sausage, about 1 – 1½ inches/ 3-4 cm in diameter. Cut the sausage into about 20 pieces. With floured hands, roll each piece into a ball. Turn this ball very lightly through the flour on the working surface (only if it's highly sticky), shake to remove the excess flour, and press into a disc. With a floured finger, press a small dent in the middle of the dumpling.
- Cook dumplings: When the water is boiling, turn the heat down to medium-low. Place all the dumplings into the pot. They will sink to the bottom of the pan, so take a slotted spoon and go under the dumplings to prevent them from sticking to the pot. After a few minutes, the dumplings will come up. Cover the pan and simmer gently for about 5 minutes. Then, turn off the heat and let the dumplings in hot water for another 5 minutes.
- Coat with breadcrumbs: Remove dumplings with a slotted spoon, drain them in a sieve and roll each dumpling in the breadcrumb mixture. Serve warm as they are or topped with some runny jam.
Notes
- Cheese: Traditionally, papanasi fierti are made with Romanian brânză de vaci, which may be hard to find outside of Romania. The closest alternative is cottage cheese, but since it has a different texture, it’s important to blend it until smooth for the best results.
- Measurements: I recommend using a digital kitchen scale (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab).
Missy says
I have a wheat allergy, but I bet my kids would love these!
CHN says
Thanks, this is something new for me. They look wonderful, and it is something I would like to try. However, what does this mean?
"•2 regular level tablespoons vanilla sugar (not American measuring spoons)"
Not sure what your "regular" tablespoon is! Thank you!
Adina says
Hi. I mean an everyday teaspoon or tablespoon used for stirring in your coffee or for eating soup. The American measuring spoons, which are used for measuring when baking or cooking are a bit larger than the everyday spoons.
Sissi says
There is a very similar kind of "gnocchi" in Poland! Also coated with breadcrumbs. I find their sweet and savoury flavours mixture addictive... Yours look fantastic! I love their cute round shape (Polish are gnocchi-like shaped).
The only difference is the lack of semolina (only, flour, eggs and fresh curd cheese which from what you say is exactly what you use in Romania.... not as smooth as quark but still fresh... look out for Polish or Russian grocery shops! They sell the cheese which might be similar to the Romanian one).
Marvellina says
I know so little about Romanian food but I'm happy to say that your posts have been educating me about it!!! I would love to try one of these!!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
I've never heard of these before, but they sound delicious! Love that they aren't fried so a little healthier 🙂
grace says
what lovely little bites! i think it would be hard to decide which method i'd prefer to eat, but i know i'd prefer to bake--hot oil makes me nervous!
Balvinder says
Wow – they look fab. My mouth is watering after reading this, Adina. They are boiled and then rolled in crumbs, oh my goodness! This is a DELICIOUS thing to try.
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
Goodness gracious these look awesome! Gimme all the sugary sweet dumplings! I've never had a dumpling made with cottage cheese and semolina, so I totally need to try this! Cheers!
KR says
I nominated you for the Mystery Blogger Award. You can read about it here:
https://estoniancuisine.com/2017/02/15/mystery-blogger-award/
I understand if you choose not to accept but I think you deserve it!
Adina says
Thank you! That's very nice of you! I will have a look at your blog. 🙂
nammi says
Very interesting recipe.anything with cheese will be delicious!
Anca says
They are similar to plum dumplings, aren't they? I never had boiled papanasi.
Adina says
Yes, I would say they are a bit similar. I should make the plum dumplings again soon, I haven't had any in quite a while.
Denise Browning says
It is like a breaded cheese dumpling. I have never heard about them but would be thrilled to try them.
GiGi Eats says
THOSE look like something I would get along with QUITE WELL 😉
amrita says
awesome dear...never tried them ...Little salty and sugary...
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
They look so delicious with that sweet crunchy coating! Will Quark also work?
Adina says
Hi Angie. I think Quark works, my friend makes them with Quark and they are nice but I could not say how much flour you will need then. Aim for a soft and light, yet manageable texture of dough.