This is a traditional Russian/Ukrainian breakfast dish. It is much healthier than regular pancakes as cottage cheese is a great source of calcium.

In a large bowl, mix the cottage cheese and eggs. Add most of the flour, about 1/2 cup (leave a little for step 2, about 1/3 cup), sugar, and salt. Using a fork, mis well, make sure to break apart any clumps of flour. If using raisins, add them now. The ‘batter’ should be thick like dough, if it isn’t, add a little more flour. You should be able to form (mold) your batter into a ball.

Prepare a small bowl with about ⅓ cup flour. Scoop out a handful of dough at a time (You can use an ice cream scoop to do this and to make sure all your syrniki are the same size.).Use your hands to gently flatten the dough into a small patty. Dredge the pancake with flour on both sides. Shake off the extra flour. Prepare all your syrniki before frying them.

Heat 3-4 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a skillet, and gently place the syrniki into the pan. Cook on medium-low heat for about 4-5 minutes per side, or until each side is golden brown. Do not crowd the pancakes, depending on the size of your pan, cook 4 pancakes at a time.

The traditional Russian way to serve the syrniki is with sour cream and your favorite fruit preserves, but they will taste great topped with honey, condensed milk or maple syrup as well.