Evelinas Exchange Blintze Recipes

BLUEBERRY BLINTZES

Steps:

• For the topping: Add 1/2 cup of the blueberries to a medium bowl with the sugar, honey, lemon juice and cardamom and let sit, stirring every 10 minutes or so and mashing slightly, until the juices are a vibrant pink color, about 1 hour. Fold in the remaining blueberries, coating them in the sauce until shiny.
• For the blintzes: Meanwhile, in a blender or food processor, combine the milk, flour, salt and eggs and blend until smooth. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Coat a 9- or 10-inch nonstick skillet with a thin layer of oil and heat over medium heat. Add 1/3 cup batter to the skillet and tilt it so that it distributes evenly into a round. Cook until the top is set and the bottom is slightly browned and pulls away easily from the skillet, 60 to 90 seconds. Use an offset spatula to transfer it to a plate or work surface (correct, you will not be flipping these). Repeat this process, stacking the cooked blintzes and separating them by sheets of parchment paper.
• For the filling: In a bowl, mix together the cream cheese, ricotta, honey, lemon zest and juice, almond extract, cardamom, salt and egg until combined.
• To assemble: Place a blintz browned-side up on a work surface. Spoon 1/4 cup filling slightly below the center line of the blintz. Fold the bottom third of the blintz up over the filling and then fold in the sides. Bring the top third of the blintz down over the filling to seal. Set aside and repeat with the remaining blintzes.
• In a large skillet, heat a thin layer of oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Fry the blintzes a few at a time until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes on each side, adding additional oil if the needed. Transfer to a serving plate, top with the blueberry sauce and enjoy.

CHEF JOHN'S CHEESE BLINTZES

Steps:

• Place 3 eggs, flour, milk, water, vegetable oil, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract in a blender. Blend until completely smooth, 1 or 2 minutes, scraping down sides as needed. Let batter sit at room temperature 30 minutes.
• Whisk together ricotta cheese, cream cheese, lemon zest, egg, sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl. Mix together thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate.
• Heat a 10-inch, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Spray or brush lightly with vegetable oil. Pour in about 1/4 cup batter. Immediately swirl batter around to coat bottom of pan. Cook until surface looks dry, about 1 minute. Flip crepe over to briefly cook other side, about 30 seconds. Remove to a plate. Repeat with the rest of batter. Stack crepes.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly butter a baking dish.
• Spoon 3 to 4 tablespoons of filling onto the crepe, about an inch from edge nearest you. Fold edge over filling and flatten slightly. Fold in both sides, then roll up crepe into a small filled rectangle, ending with the seam on the bottom, creating a blintz.
• Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Cook the blintzes until golden brown on both sides, turning gently, about 2 minutes. Transfer to buttered baking dish.
• Bake in preheated oven to firm up the filling, about 12 minutes. Cool blintzes 10 minutes before serving. Dust lightly with confectioners' sugar.

BLINTZES

Steps:

• 1. Beat egg with salt and liquid (water or milk) until smooth.
• 2. Add flour gradually until the consistency of heavy cream. You do not need a mixer. A whisk will work as well.
• 3. Add more liquid or flour as necessary. The batter will thicken as it sits.
• 4. Spoon 1/3 cup of batter into a greased, preheated crepe or crepe size fry pan.
• 5. Tilt pan until entire bottom is covered with a thin, even layer.
• 6. When the blintz is browned underneath and dry on top (1 to 4 minutes), turn out onto waxed paper (browned side up).
• 7. Cover with waxed paper and continue to stack blintzes and paper until all of the batter's used.
• 8. Mix filling ingredients.
• 9. Spoon some of the mixture into each blintz.
• 10. Roll up once.
• 11. Fold in ends.
• 12. Continue rolling into a cigar shape (like a Chinese egg roll shape). Chill until ready to cook.
• 13. To cook, heat a large skillet to medium-low and melt 2 teaspoons butter.
• 14. Fry blintzes, turning occasionally.
• 15. Add more butter as necessary.
• 16. Serve with warm applesauce, sour cream (as is the tradition). Can easily increase quantities if you are cooking for a crowd.

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.