Fried Cheese Dough (Romanian Papanaşi)

Romanian Papanaşi is a famous treat there. It is a fried cheese doughnut where the hole of the doughnut is placed on top and in between it is smothered with cherry preserves and topped with confectioners sugar. A heavenly bite indeed. Oh and did I mention whipped cream too?

4 cups cottage cheese
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
¼ tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. lemon zest, freshly grated
½ tsp. baking powder
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour, unbleached
cooking oil

Garnish:
confectioners' sugar
whipped cream or sour cream
fruit preserve strawberry, raspberry, sour cherry etc.

In a large bowl mix the cottage cheese, sugar and baking powder. Add the eggs, vanilla, salt and lemon zest. Mix very well to get a smooth as possible. Slowly add in the flour a little at a time. If the dough is too moist add more flour, you don’t want the dough to be too sticky.

Heat the oil in a deep fryer or skillet over medium high heat.

Make small balls of dough, to fit in the palm of your hand, make into a doughnut shape with a hole in the middle. Dip into a small bowl of flour.

Make some round balls a bit bigger than the size of the doughnut hole. Dip into a small bowl of flour. Fry them in oil until golden brown on both sides.

Remove onto a paper towel to remove any excess oil.

Assemble the doughnut with some sour cherry preserve on top add the small ball on top of that, sprinkle with some powdered sugar and a dollop of whipped cream or sour cream on top.

Serve while warm.

Makes 8 servings.