Evelinas Exchange Blintze Recipes

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.

INGRID'S SPINACH AND CHEESE BLINTZ

Steps:

• Completely defrost the spinach and squeeze out any excess liquid. Add the butter or olive oil to a skillet and saute the scallions about 2 minutes. Add the spinach and continue to cook about 5 minutes longer. Add the sesame oil, cheddar, and mozzarella, folding the spinach over the cheese until it melts. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the filling from the pan and cool before stuffing your blintz crepes.
• If you refrigerate the mixture, it is best to bring the spinach to room temperature, and drain again before stuffing or your blintzes will be soggy.

QUICK-AND-EASY CHEESE BLINTZ CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish or coat it with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a blender or a food processor (fitted with a steel blade), combine all batter ingredients. Process until very smooth, scraping down the sides of the container once or twice. Measure out 1 1/2 cups of the batter, and pour it into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees forabout 10 minutes, or until it is set.
• Meanwhile, combine all the filling ingredients in a large bowl, and mix them well. When the bottom layer has set, remove it from the oven and spread the filling over it, smoothing the top. Give the remaining batter a brief stir to resuspend the ingredients; then very slowly pour it over the cheese filling so the filling is completely covered. Carefully return the casserole to the 350 degree oven, and bake an additional 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top is puffed and set.
• Let the casserole rest for about 10 minutes before cutting it into squares. Serve with your choice of accompaniments.

GRANDMA REILKOFF'S AUTHENTIC RUSSIAN BLINTZE

Steps:

• Batter should be quite runny (compared to pancake batter, say). Use a HOT (but not quite smoking) non-stick pan, covering the bottom of the pan thinly with batter. Lift pan and spread batter to edges as best you can.
• When the edges start to brown, fold in half and remove from pan.
• Continue making one blintze per pan until batter is finished (use a couple of pans if needed).
• NOTE: **If blintzes don't easily remove from pan, add another tablespoon of oil to the batter. The temperature of your pan may also be at play - it needs to be quite hot.

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.