Hungarian cottage cheese dumplings (Túrógombóc)

Ingredients

• 500 grams of dry, crumbly cottage cheese (17.6 ounces)
• 2 eggs – separated
• 100 grams of semolina (or rice semolina) (3.5 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 2 tablespoons of vanilla flavored sugar or 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• Zest of a medium lemon
• 12 tablespoons of white breadcrumbs or ground walnuts
• 2 tablespoons of oil for toasting the breadcrumbs
• Powdered sugar

Takes 30 minutes
Serves 14-16 medium sized balls.

Instructions

1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. Separate egg yolks from the whites. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Beat the egg yolks with two tablespoons of sugar and the vanillin sugar.
                     2. Place the cottage cheese in a bowl and crumble it or put it through a sieve. Add the egg yolk, the egg white, the semolina, and the lemon zest and stir to combine.
                     3. Put aside and let sit for 20 minutes, so the semolina absorbs moisture from the cheese. In the meantime, toast the breadcrumbs in oil over a low heat. Set aside.
                     4. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a gentle boil.
                     5. Shape the mixture into dumplings in the palms of your hands, moistened with water.
                     6. Slide the dumplings into the boiling water and stir gently for the first minute, to prevent sticking. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the dumplings rise to the surface.
                     7. Remove the dumplings from the water using a spoon, drain and lightly roll them in breadcrumbs browned in oil.
                     8. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with sour cream.