Athenian Blintzes Recipes

CHEESE BLINTZES

Steps:

• For the crepe: Beat milk, eggs and 1 cup water in a bowl. Add flour and powdered sugar to make a thin batter.
• Pour 1/4 cup batter on a well-buttered medium hot 10-inch fry pan, spreading it as thin as possible. Fry until light brown, then flip and brown other side until light brown. Turn out on wax paper. Repeat with remaining batter.
• For the cheese filling: Mix ricotta, cream cheese, eggs, powdered sugar and vanilla in a bowl. Spread evenly over the surface of a crepe. Tuck in ends and roll up. Cook in butter in a fry pan until brown on both sides. Repeat with remaining crepes and filling.
• Serve with sour cream and fruit preserves.

BLINTZES

Steps:

• With a whisk, beat eggs and milk together and add the salt. Gradually, a tablespoonful at a time, whisk in flour and beat until smooth. Heat a 6inch skillet and butter it lightly. Pour in enough batter to make a thin pancake. (If batter is too thick, add water to thin) Pour out excess back into the batter and don't worry if a "tab" forms on the side of the pan.
• Cook the blintz on one side only until the top blisters and it looks dry around the edges. Turn the blintz upside down onto a clean towel. Rebutter the skillet if need be, every 2 or 3 blintzes, and proceed until all the batter has been used up.
• Make assorted fillings, roll up and fry, or bake or freeze for another day.

TRADITIONAL CHEESE BLINTZES

Steps:

• Beat eggs in a bowl. Add milk, oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Beat in flour using an electric mixer until well blended. Let batter stand for 15 to 30 minutes.
• Mix the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, cottage cheese, sugar, sour cream, egg yolk, and cinnamon together in a bowl to make the filling.
• Melt butter in a 6- to 7-inch skillet. Spoon a portion of the batter onto the skillet; cook until lightly browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Turn out onto a tea towel. Repeat with the remaining batter, thinning with small amounts of water if necessary and greasing the pan after every 2 to 3 blintzes.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet.
• Melt the remaining butter in the skillet over low heat, about 1 minute.
• Place a blintz on a clean work surface with the uncooked side up. Add 1 tablespoon filling and roll up, completely covering the filling. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining blintzes. Brush filled blintzes with melted butter.
• Bake in the preheated oven until brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

BEAUTY'S CHEESE BLINTZES

Steps:

• Prepare batter. In a large bowl combine eggs, milk, salt and vanilla and blend well. Gradually add flour. Beat well until there are no lumps in the batter.
• Make the filling. Combine all of the filling ingredients in a bowl and mix together until smooth.
• Grease a 6- or 7-inch skillet until it is hot but not smoking.
• Put a ladleful of batter into the skillet. Tilt pan to swirl the batter so it covers the bottom of the skillet.
• Fry on one side until bubbles form and the top is set. The bottom should be golden brown. Carefully loosen edges of the crepe and slip it out of the skillet onto a plate.
• Repeat the above procedure until all the batter is used. Grease skillet each time before pouring batter.
• After all the crepes are made, begin filling them. The brown side should be facing up. Place 1 tablespoon of filling on one edge.
• Roll once to cover filling. Fold the sides into the center and continue rolling until completely closed.
• After all the blintzes are assembled, heat 2 tablespoons of butter in the skillet and place each crepe, seam side down, in the skillet and fry 2 minutes on each side, turning once.
• Serve with a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt, and garnish with fresh strawberries and a touch of powdered sugar.