How to Bake Everything

Cheese Blintzes

Makes: 4 to 6 servings

Time: About 1 hour

Eggier and sturdier than crêpes, blintzes are filled, then sautéed or baked with butter, which gives them a slightly browned, crisp crust. Because they are folded into little packages, they can handle substantial fillings whether you’re having them for breakfast, snacks, or dessert. Traditional fillings include cottage cheese, mashed potatoes, and fruit.

1 cup milk
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
3 eggs
2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
Butter and neutral oil (like grapeseed or corn) for cooking and greasing
1½ cups cottage cheese, drained if very moist
½ cup sour cream or yogurt
1 tablespoon sugar, or to taste, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon cinnamon, or to taste, plus more for dusting

1. Whisk together the milk, flour, and ⅛ teaspoon of the salt until smooth; you can do this in a blender. Beat in the eggs and stir in the melted butter. If time allows, let rest in the refrigerator for at least an hour and up to 24 hours.

2. Put an 8- or 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat and when it’s hot, add a small pat of butter and 1 teaspoon oil. Stir the batter and use a large spoon or ladle to pour a couple of tablespoons of it into the skillet. Swirl it around so that it forms a thin layer on the bottom of the pan.

3. When the top of the blintz is dry, after about a minute, flip it and cook the other side for 15 to 30 seconds. The blintz should become only slightly brown and not at all crisp. Bear in mind that the first blintz almost never works, so discard it if necessary; there is plenty of batter. Stack the finished blintzes on a plate.

4. Combine the cottage cheese, sour cream, sugar, cinnamon, and the remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt. Put about 2 tablespoons of the filling in the center of each blintz about a third of the way from the bottom. Fold the bottom third over the filling, then fold in the sides, then roll from the bottom up to create a package (see illustrations, page 125). To heat, arrange them on a greased ovenproof platter. Dot with butter and dust with sugar and cinnamon; bake in a 400°F oven for 10 minutes. Alternatively, sauté several at a time in 2 tablespoons butter until they’re lightly brown and just a little crisp on both sides, about 5 minutes total.

BERRY BLINTZES In a saucepan over medium heat, combine 2 cups berries or pitted cherries with 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and a pat of butter. Cook until the fruit pops and thickens slightly. Use this instead of the cheese filling or prepare the cheese blintzes as directed and spoon this over the tops.

MASHED POTATO BLINTZES Savory and comforting: Substitute well-seasoned mashed potatoes (or any other mashed vegetable) for the cheese filling.

PUMPKIN BLINTZES Just like pumpkin pie: Decrease the cottage cheese to 1 cup and beat it with 1 cup unsweetened pumpkin purée (canned is fine). Increase the sugar to 2 tablespoons and add ½ teaspoon ginger and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg along with the cinnamon.

BANANA BLINTZES An excellent way to use up very ripe bananas: Decrease the cottage cheese to 1 cup. Add to it 1 cup mashed banana (2 or 3 overripe bananas); proceed with the recipe. If you like, add a splash of rum to the filling before baking.

APPLESAUCE BLINTZES These are simply sweet as is, but they’re fabulous and more dessertlike with a drizzle of Caramel Sauce: Follow the preceding variation using unsweetened applesauce instead of bananas.

Filling and Folding Blintzes