The word chremslach is applied to any number of very different, usually fried, matzo meal pancakes. There are also recipes called chremsle, vremzle, or chremslach that are croquettes with almonds and raisins. These cheese pancakes are wonderful for a midweek Passover dairy breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I like them topped with sour cream, but if you have a sweet tooth, try applesauce or orange marmalade or other preserves, or a sprinkling of sugar, or top them with sour cream and strawberries macerated with some sugar so they exude their juices and form a sauce.

Makes about 18

4 eggs

1 cup 4-percent cottage cheese
3/4 cup milk (whole or low-fat)
3/4 to 1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
1 cup matzo meal
Grapeseed or other acceptable Passover oil, oil (or oil and 2 tablespoons butter for flavor), for frying

In a bowl, with a fork, beat together the eggs, cottage cheese, milk, salt, and sugar. Stir in the matzo meal. Set aside for 10 minutes.

In a 10- to 12-inch skillet, over medium heat, heat enough oil to cover the bottom by a scant 1/8 inch. When the oil is hot, pour a scant 1/4 cup of the batter into the skillet. It should form a pancake about 4 inches in diameter. If it is too thick to spread this much, add a little more milk. The pancake should sizzle immediately. Fry until the first side is golden brown, 60 to 90 seconds, depending on how hot the oil is. Turn the pancake. The second side takes less time, about 30 seconds.

Drain the pancakes on paper towels or brown paper and serve while still very hot.

Variation
For a puffier pancake, separate the eggs, beat the yolks with the milk, then beat the whites until they form peaks and fold into the batter.

Reprinted with permission from Arthur Schwartz's Jewish Home Cooking: Yiddish Recipes Revisited, by Arthur Schwartz, copyright © 2008. Published by Ten Speed Press.