Chanukah Blog Party: Túrógombóc

I was very happy to be included in this Hanukkah Blog Party, hosted by Leah of Cook Kosher and Miriam of Overtime Cook. More information about this blog party is below, after the post itself.    

I've become annoyingly obsessed with all things culinarily Hungarian. There has to be more in the Magyar holster than paprikás and kakaós, right? 

Browsing a bit around, I came upon túrógombóc (pronounced "too-row-gum-bow-tz"), "cheese dumplings" (túró is dry curd cheese). Like nukedlach or kneidlach, they are boiled in water, not fried. They were incredibly simple to make, as well as very pretty to look at. It would also seem cheese dumplings aren't strictly Hungarian fare; many cultures, European and Asian, have their own version of them.

The recipes that I came across called for farina, or grits (which is something different to Hungarians than it is to Americans). I decided to use oat bran instead, and see what happens. For the coating, instead of bread crumbs, I used cornmeal. 

Túró has large curds and require a food processor to make the smoothest consistency; farmer cheese is a perfect stand in, being dry and rather smooth, meaning no need for a food processor.

Very few recipes I came across mentioned adding sugar, but seriously, what sort of cheese ball is it if it won't be sweet? The first time I made these I hadn't added enough sugar, so the kids didn't bite, but my sister-in-law, who lacks a sweet tooth, loved them.

My family has gotten into the recent habit of making a milchig Chanukah luncheon, and these are certainly on the menu. 

This video shows it being done authentically Hungarian: 

Here's my modified (nutritious and delicious!) version of this recipe by Eszter Hargittai.

Túrógombóc

7.5 oz farmer cheese 

1/4 cup oat bran 

1 egg

optional: sugar and vanilla sugar

cornmeal 

confectionery sugar

1) Mix the cheese and bran very well with a fork and place in the fridge for an hour or two, or even overnight. This will soften the bran. (I got this tip from A Sprinkle of Hungary).

2) Put up a large pot of water to boil.

3) Add egg and sugar(s) together with the cheese and bran. Mix together well.

4) Coat a frying pan with a little oil and/or butter, warm it up, add cornmeal (fine ground if one likes less crunch than medium ground) and toast for a few minutes. Stir constantly, since it can burn very quickly (learned that the hard way). 

5) When the water is hot enough, form balls out of the cheese mixture and plunk into the water. When they rise to the top, they are ready. I prefer to make the balls small, making them ideal finger food. 

6) Remove onto a paper towel, then place them into the coating. Roll 'em around in it. 

7) Dust with confectionery sugar, if so inclined (I like the one from Trader Joe's since it's made from evaporated cane juice and tapioca starch instead of mystery filler.)

They are like yummy cheesecake bites. Because these are made from farmer's cheese, instead of túró, they come out gorgeous, without anything detaching like the video above. A wonderful addition to a milchig meal. 

***

Welcome to our first ever Hanukkah Blog Party, hosted by Leah of Cook Kosher and Miriam of Overtime Cook. 

To help get everyone into party mode, we have a bunch of fabulous new cookbooks to giveaway! Leave a comment on this post for your chance to win one of:

2 copies of Susie Fishbein's new Kosher By Design Cooking Coach (sponsored by Artscroll)

2 copies of Leah Schapira's  Fresh and Easy Kosher Cooking (sponsored by Artscroll) 

2 copies of Esther Deutch's CHIC Made Simple (sponsored by the author)

Giveaway ends at 11:59 PM on Sunday, December 16th. Limit one entry per person per blog, so visit the other blogs for extra chances to win! Prizes can only be shipped within the US. Entries must be accompanied by a valid email address in order to qualify.

How to enter: Leave a comment on this post of your favorite Chanukah fare. 

This is the second of many fabulous Holiday Blog Parties. If you would like to be added to the mailing list to participate in future parties, please email holidayblogparties@gmail.com

Stop by the other blogs and check out these Chanukah Themed Recipes:

Latkes:

Jamie from Joy of Kosher made Zucchini Latkes with Tzatziki

Daniel from Peikes Cookbook made Potato and Fennel Latkes Fried in Duck Fat With Chinese Five Spice Apple Sauce

Susan from The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen made Squash and Potato Latkes

Samantha from The Little Ferraro Kitchen made Ruby Red Beet Latkes with Cumin

Nechamah from TIforOA Food Ideas made Healthy Oatmeal Latkes

Liz from The Lemon Bowl made Traditional Potato Latkes

Yosef from This American Bite made Latkes & Brisket on Rye

Melanie from From Fast Food to Fresh Food made (I Can't Believe They're Crispy!) Baked Latkes

Laura from Mother Would Know made Three Variations of Sweet and Savory Latkes

Sarah from Crispy Bits and Burnt Ends made Kimchee Latkes

Shulie from Food Wanderings made Baked Panko Sweet Potato Leek Latkes

Donuts and Desserts: 

Miriam from Overtime Cook made Shortcut Cannoli with Chocolate Mousse Filling

Leah from Cook Kosher made 5 Minute Donuts

Estee from The Kosher Scoop made Tropical Fruit Fritters

Melinda from Kitchen-Tested made Sweet Steamed Buns

Amy from What Jew Wanna Eat made Homemade Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Gelt

Avidan from Baking It Up As I Go Along made Orange Olive Oil Cake

Tali from More Quiche Please made Glazed Chocolate Donut Holes

Amital from Organized Jewish Home made Mom's Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

Princess Lea from The Frumanista made Túrógombóc

Stephanie and Jessica from The Kosher Foodies made Beignets

Gigi from Gigi's Kitchen made Bunuelos: Mini Powdered Cheese Donuts 

Esther from Esther O Designs made Edible Menorahs

Patti from No Bacon Here made Hanukkah Oreo Balls

Shoshana from Couldn't Be Parve made Churros con Chocolate

Shaindy from My Happily Hectic Life made Inside Out Apple Crisp

Eve from Gluten Free Nosh made Gluten-Free Hanukkah Sugar Cookies

The Gluten Free maven made Gluten Free Vegan Cake Donuts

Amy from Baking and Mistaking made Mini Cream-Filled French Beignets

Sarah from Food, Words, Photos made Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

Victoria from Itsy Bitsy Balebusta made Pure Vanilla Donuts

Vicky and Ruth from May I Have That Recipe made Dulce de Leche and Eggnog cream filled mini sufganiot

Dena from Oh You Cook made Poached Pears in Pomegranate Sauce

Michele from Kosher Treif Cooking made Tiramisu Cheessecake

Sharon from FashionIsha made Sparkly Chanukah Cookies

Appetizers, Soups, Sauces, Drinks and other Hanukkah Food:

Laura from Pragmatic Attic made Caramel Spice Applesauce

Jessie from Bread and Butter made Honey Spiced Hanukkah Martini

G6 from Guess Who's Coming 2 Dinner made Sweet Potato Leek Soup

Claire from I Love Soup made Sweet Potato, Coconut & Lemongrass Soup

Jennifer from Juanita's Cocina made Kugel

Liz from Kosher Like Me made Ready, Stuff Roll!

Shelley from The Kosher Home made Hanukkah Crafts and Printables