Syrniki

Syrniki
1 cup cottage cheese
2 egg yolks
1 1/3 cups rice flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon granulated (white) sugar
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

Squeeze the cottage cheese through a piece of cheesecloth to remove all the excess moisture. Then beat in the egg. Gradually mix in the flour, salt, and sugar until a stiff dough forms that is about the same texture as shortbread cookie dough. You may not need to use all the flour. Press the dough into a flat disc on a piece of plastic wrap, wrap, and refrigerate for at least thirty minutes, until firm. Alternately you could form the dough into a log and refrigerate.

Cut the dough into small pieces - I used a one inch heart-shaped cutter. Alternately you could just cut the dough in squares or slice it from the log. Heat the butter in a medium saucepan or frying pan over low heat until melted. Fry the pastries, about three minutes per side until golden. You can make them as crispy as you like. Drain the pastries on paper towel. 

Traditionally these pastries are served with berry kissel or sweet berry sauce and sour cream. I added some sambuca to my berry sauce and also served them with lemon pastry cream to balance the flavors. 

Tips and Tricks: If you have the time, the cottage cheese can be weighed down and drained overnight. You can replace the rice flour with all-purpose flour, I just used rice flour to make them gluten-free. Since this pastries are not baked, the change in flour really doesn't affect the texture of them.