Discover the simplicity of making Varškės Virtinukai, Lithuania's delightful sweet Farmer's Cheese Dumplings. With just a few basic ingredients, including the key component, Lithuanian farmer's cheese, these "lazy dumplings" are effortlessly mixed, shaped, and boiled to perfection. Ideal for a sweet breakfast or a savory lunch (with a few adjustments), these dumplings promise a taste of Lithuanian comfort food that's easy to prepare and versatile to serve.
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What is Varskes Virtinukai?
Varškės Virtinukai are Lithuanian sweet cheese dumplings made with a handful of simple ingredients, with the star of the dish being Lithuanian varškė - farmers cheese! These lazy dumplings come together quickly by mixing the dough all in one bowl, and quickly shaping them into small pieces before boiling them in hot water and serving them with melted butter and sour cream sauce.
Similar to Italian Ricotta Cheese Gnocchi, these dumplings can be served as a sweet breakfast dish or a savoury lunch meal.
Lithuanians also enjoy Sweet Farmer's Cheese Filled Dumplings.
How Farmer's Cheese Dumplings Are Served In Lithuania?
These easy cheese dumplings are often enjoyed as a weekend breakfast dish in Lithuania. They are typically made a day before and then stored in a single layer on a floured board in the fridge, ready to be cooked the next morning. It was always the best day for me when my mum served these Farmers Cheese Dumplings on Saturday morning.
Serve these with a generous amount of sour cream and butter sauce, and an optional side of jam or berry compote.
If served for lunch, these dumplings are typically made into a savory dish. Lithuanians typically season the sour cream sauce with salt and black pepper and enjoy it for a midday meal. Or you can try Lithuanian Flour Dumplings (Miltiniai Eziukai) instead.
Ingredient Notes
- all-purpose flour: also known as plain flour. Cake flour may also be used. You will need to adjust the amount of flour based on how dry your farmer cheese is (Lithuanian farmers cheese is typically a little wetter compared to Polish Twarog).
- egg: we used a medium egg in the UK, so you may need a large egg in the US.
- farmer cheese: full- or half-fat (see more details in the section below).
- white sugar: white granulated sugar or caster sugar (superfine sugar).
- pinch of kosher salt.
For The Sauce:
- unsalted butter.
- sour cream: can be replaced with creme fraiche.
- sugar: you may use granulated or caster sugar, or generously dust the top with powdered sugar.
What is Farmer Cheese? What Type To Choose?
In Lithuania, "Varske" is the term used for Farmer's Cheese (dry curd similar to strained cottage cheese or quark), a fundamental ingredient in the country's culinary traditions. This cheese bears a resemblance to quark but is less moist. It enjoys popularity across various Eastern European nations, known as Tvorog in Russia and Twaróg in Poland, among others.
Varske is primarily incorporated into the baking of mouthwatering pastries, cakes (like Kursenu Vyniotinis and Draugystes Pyragas), and cookies. Additionally, it's a favored Lithuanian breakfast item, often served with a touch of sour cream and a dash of sugar, or used to make Farmers Cheese Pancakes.
Head to our dedicated article about recipes using farmer's cheese for more inspiration!
There are generally three varieties of Farmer’s Cheese available in Lithuania: extra light (0.5-1% fat), half-fat (9% fat), and full-fat (18% fat). For baking purposes or when preparing sweet delicacies, it's advisable to opt for the varieties with 9% fat or more.
Varske, or its equivalent Twarog, can be found in any Eastern European grocery store.
Step-By-Step Method
In a large mixing bowl, combine the farmers cheese, egg, sugar and a pinch of salt.
Gradually add the flour until a soft dough forms that doesn't stick to your hands much (you may need more or less flour depending on how dry your farmer cheese is).
On a lightly floured surface, using the palms of your hands, roll the dough into strings about 1.5 cm (0.6 in) in diameter. Cut the string into small pieces the size of your thumbnail.
ALTERNATIVE SHAPES:
- Traditionally, in Lithuania, the string of smooth dough is cut into pieces on a diagonal.
- You can form dumplings with wet hands into small balls, then press your finger in the middle to create a dimple.
- Or you can run each piece of dough on a zester side of your grater to ruffle up the surface (this shape is known as Eziukai (which translates into Little Hedgehogs in Lithuanian).
Add the dumplings to a large pot of lightly salted water set over medium heat. Gently shake the pan, so that the dumplings don't stick to the bottom of the pot. Boil them until the dumplings float on the surface. Then keep on cooking them on a low simmer for another 2 minutes.
In the meantime, make the sauce. Melt butter in a separate saucepan. Add the sour cream and mix.
Using a slotted spoon, add the cooked dumplings to the sauce and give everything a gentle stir with a wooden spoon to coat.
Place the farmer cheese dumplings in a shallow bowl and sprinkle them with sugar before serving.
Storage & Making Ahead
Whilst cooked farmers cheese dumplings should not be stored and reheated, there are plenty of ways to partially make them ahead of time.
Make the dough, cover it with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for up to 48 hours, then shape and cook in boiling water as normal.
Alternatively, you can cut the dough into small pieces, arrange them on a floured board, cover everything with a plastic warp and store them in the fridge for 2 days until you're ready to cook them.
These Lithuanian Grocchi freeze well too. Arrange the shaped dumplings on a floured surface and place them in the freezer for 30-60 minutes until solid. Then transfer them to ziplock bags. Cook them from frozen for 5-7 minutes.
More Lithuanian Breakfast Recipes To Try
Lithuanians rarely skip breakfast, and whilst weekday breakfast is typically a slice of bread with cheese or ham, on weekends we like to go all out. Try some of my favourite Lithuanian breakfast recipes below:
Farmer's Cheese Dumplings (Traditional Lithuanian Gnocchi)
Ingredients
- 90-120 g (¾-1 cup) all-purpose flour*
- 1 egg medium
- 200 g (7 oz) farmer cheese full- or half-fat
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- pinch of salt
- 20 g (1½ tbsp) butter
- 2 tablespoon sour cream
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the farmers cheese, egg, sugar and a pinch of salt.
- Gradually add the flour until you have a soft dough that doesn't stick to your hands much (you may need more or less flour depending on how dry your farmer cheese is).
- On a lightly floured surface, using the palms of your hands, roll the dough into strings about 1.5 cm (0.6 in) in diameter. Cut the string into small pieces the size of your thumb nail.
- Add the dumplings into boiling water and gently boil until the dumplings float on the surface. Then keep on cooking them over medium heat for another 2 minutes.
- In the meantime, make the sauce by melting butter in a separate saucepan. Add the sour cream and mix.
- Add the cooked farmer's cheese dumplings to the sauce and mix gently to coat.
- Place the dumplings in a shallow bowl and sprinkle them with sugar before serving.
Notes
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