Hungarian Easter Cheese – Húsvéti sárga túró
At Easter, boys in Hungary would sprinkle girls with perfume scented water while citing one of the funny little poems they wrote for these occasions. Today this is a tamer version where boys would use buckets of water. Of course, as with the many eastern Europe, part of the Easter celebrations is the painting of eggs.
Hungarian Easter Cheese – Húsvéti sárga túró
Recipe Submitted By: Marie Simon Gowan
Check out her FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/HungarianHeritage
Easter (Húsvét)
Unlike the Christmas Season, traditional Easter (Húsvét) meals have few specialties. One of these specialties is a Hungarian version of Easter sweet yellow cheese, Sárga túró, made with whole milk, eggs and white raisins. Pictured here is black raisins. Either is still tasty but the white raisins is said to symbolize the “Living Bread coming down from Heaven”.
Message from Marie Simon Gowan:
Hungarian Easter Cheese, Húsvéti sárga túró, as my mother called it. Often called Hrudka or Sirecz, and mainly recognized by those who grew up in Hungarian Greek Catholic or Byzantine Catholic families. Ideally, you want to use golden raisins but I didn’t have any in the house, so I just used regular raisins. The taste is no different, just prettier with the golden raisins.
This is my mother’s recipes for Húsvéti sárga túró (Hungarian Easter Cheese)
- 1 dozen eggs
- 1 qt whole milk
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 3/4 cup of sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- pinch of salt
- 1 large piece of cheesecloth
- 1 lg white shoestring
- colander
- Beat eggs gently and mix with vanilla and salt.
- Mix sugar and milk together so sugar dissolves somewhat.
- Mix all ingredients together (except raisins) in a small pot.
- Cook on low to medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. When you see that whey is separating from the egg mixture, mix in raisins.
- Make sure raisins do not stay in one clump.
- Continue cooking until more separation occurs and raisins look plump.
- When you think it looks done, pour into wet cheesecloth that you have placed in a colander. Squeeze into a ball and tie together with the shoe string
- (see Notes for more instructions)
- Ideally, you want to use golden raisins but I didn't have any in the house, so I just used regular raisins.
- Hang it from your faucet to drain and cool, or tie string to wooden spoon handle and hang inside deep pot.
- Make sure you squeeze it good before you hang it up.
- You may want to use rubber gloves for squeezing, as it is very hot and will easily burn your hands.
- Chill before slicing.
Could you tell me what temperature to cook the milk? Thank you.
Just want to remind y’all (I’m in South Carolina and they say y’all a lot here) that this recipe is from Marie Simon Gowan, and is her Hungarian family recipe. I posted the Slovak one under another thread (topic).
John Lipovsky is one great catch~ He is a Ladies dream…
In case anyone missed this (because I’m also not seeing it) it’s supposed to be a guy blushing.
Never had it with raisins, but way back when….I dated a Russian boy…at Easter, they served this egg cheese made with cherries in it….absolutely delicious!
Wow does that look good~!
With others’ help I can. 🙂 And thank you!
Keep on doing what you’re doing. This is a great way to reconnect with our heritage. Thank you.
I never had it with raisins either but that is the purpose of the Slavic Cooking Informational and Recipe Sharing Blog. It’s there to allow others to share their heritage they remember growing up and their families’ favorite recipes and meals for others to see and hopefully experience. 🙂
Never had it with raisins. I’ll bet it adds some real sweetness to it.
Golden (or white) raisins are normally used for this cheese which has traditional symbolic Easter meaning just as white raisins are used in Easter Paska (or Babka).
I met Olga Olah Saturday night at St. Micheals Bingo in PA. Any relationship here?
Richard are you a relation of andy olah the olahs are cousins to my dad
Love it been making for 50 yrs passing down to next generation
Barbara it sounds similar to mine but i add a little nutmeg to it.
Feel free to go to the website where both versions are, along with other Lenten and Easter recipes can be found as well.
I would tie the cheese cloth on a wooden spoon and use that to tighten the cloth.
Thanks John ~ I’ll check it out =D
Maria, there is another recipe on the website for the Czech version
I still make this every year (without raisins)!
I meant– he use to make it for me Before he moved to NC.
Gary Palush has a good one . If I am allowed to say it here?
i make two every year for easter without the raisins thhe slovak recipe
I make this evey Easter. It is so very easy to make and my family loves it…I only put a few raisens in it and I put sugar in it. Some of the Polish people do not use sugar…
The Slovaks make it without the raisins.
I make a version of this every Easter. I never made it with raisins, followed my mother-in-laws recipe.
I could remember my mom and dad making the Easter cheese and hanging it in the basement. God how I loved that cheese. You bring back a lot of good memories John.
I made it without the raisins as well. The cherries really does sound good though.
My gram & mom would make this, but no raisins! I made it once.
Can you buy this already made somewhere?
My mother made it too! Without raisins……I loved it. I once had this cheese at someone’s house for Russian Easter, and it had cherries in it. It was absolutely delishious.
The other Easter Cheese recipe I will post in a few days does not use raisins
My Mom used to make that, but without raisens.
This Hungarian recipe was submitted by Marie Simon Gowan… if anyone has a special Eastern European recipe and would like to share it on the SlavicCooking blog, here on FB and published on the web, write me and I’ll be sure your recipe is included just like Marie’s (and others). All recipes sent to me will be posted in our group here. ( john@slaviccooking.com )
My grandma used to make this
Linda, this is the Hungarian recipe version… I have a Czech one that I will post in a couple of days. Both recipes do contain sugar and other than initially working with hot liquids that need to be squeezed out it’s not hard to make. Click on the picture above and check out the instructions. Both versions can be found on the website.
Is this the sweet one you put in cheesecloth? Is it hard to make?
Boy does that look great~
OMG, I haven’t made the Easter Cheese in such a long time.
My favorite!
I just made mine earlier today!
Thank you, John! Glad to help!
If anyone has questions about this recipe, please feel free to tag me in a comment, or PM me. Please keep in mind that, though it says that this is made with quark, there is no quark in the recipe. The túró (curd) in the name of the dish would be the fact that the custard will curdle, or curd, while you cook and stir it. I am going to make one later this week. 🙂
I love that cheese. Never had it with raisins.
LOL @ Sharon
Joan and I tried the cutter,she liked it ,but i rather do it my way( 1 @ a time)
Yes it is Marie Simon Gowan
That is the same with the Hungarian version, Jeff Vaganek. We liked ours sweetened with raisins.
Syrek is eggs and milk cooked together and curds strained out. Other ingredients may be added. Some villages add sugar or raisins etc.
Syr is the Slovak word for cheese. Syrek being related to syr.
I’m going to have to ask my husband if he’s ever had this. Hey, Bob Moravek, did your mom ever have this????? Haha. He’s downstairs and I’m upstairs! 🙂
Thanks, John.
its better to make the cheese first then use the whey from it for the paska I did that and it came out so much better tasting
Jeff, or Cirák which is the Slovak version. I will be finalizing the Slovak Easter Cheese. Also getting ready to publish the post for Paska.
We called it Syrek.
For those that don’t understand the term “quark”: Quark usually translates as a curd cheese or cottage cheese, although most commercial varieties of cottage cheese are made with rennet, whereas traditional quark is not. It is soft, white, un-aged and usually has no salt added.
No quark used in my recipe, though. 🙂
Glad to share, John! Preserving our heritage through our food.
I make the easter cheese too our recipe is easy. just milk,eggs,vanilla,sugar and nutmeg
LOL @ Linda… I personally like Mrs. Ts and fault no one from getting those. I have an easy recipe on my website including a link to but a pierogi multi-cuter. I have 2 styles of a cuter and it will make pierogies a lot quicker to make. I’ll repost the link.
I want to try making pierogies this year. Do you have an easy recipe? I’m no cook. Best I can do is Mrs. T’s
It is getting to be that time to prepare for our traditional Easter meals. Later I will be posting a Slovak version that my mom made over the years growing up.
It is getting to be that time to prepare for our traditional Easter meals. Later I will be posting a Slovak version that my mom made over the years growing up.Thank you, Marie for your additions to the website which are shared here.