Blintzes

Author & Photographer: Jason Frey

Celebrating the holiday season during COVID is quite unusual. Unfortunately, most of us are unable to visit family and friends that we normally would, so I wanted to make a comfort food that means a lot to me and hopefully will bring some joy to the end-of-year pandemic festivities. One of my most vivid childhood memories associated with the holidays is when my family would visit our friends and have blintzes to break the Yom Kippur fast. A traditional Jewish recipe often made for Shavuot (harvest holiday), a blintz is a baked, cheese-filled crepe generally served with a fruit compote. Many American Jews now make blintzes with a ricotta filling as opposed to cottage cheese, taking inspiration from Italian ingredients to incorporate new flavors into the classic dish. Although it is a little out of season, the pan-fried, crepe-like goodness of blintzes can be enjoyed year-round to lift our spirits, especially during these difficult times. 

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Blintzes Recipe

Adapted from Blueberry Blintzes

Prep Time: 15 min

Inactive/Rest Time: 30 min – 2 hours

Cook Time: 30 min

Total: 1 hour 15 min – 2 hours 45 min

Yield: 8–10 Blintzes

Ingredients

Batter

• 3 eggs

• 1 cup milk

• ¼ cup cold water

• 1 cup AP flour

• 1 tbsp sugar

• ½ tsp salt

• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted (with a few more tablespoons for pan frying)

• (Optional) ¼ tsp vanilla extract

Filling

• 1 ½ cups strained ricotta

• ½ cup cream cheese

• 2 tbsp powdered sugar

• Zest of 1 lemon

• 1 egg

• Pinch of salt

Topping

• Blueberry sauce/preserves/jam

• Powdered sugar

Instructions

To make batter: 

Batter Ingredients

1. Add eggs, milk, water, flour, sugar, salt, and vanilla to a blender and blend on medium speed for 15 seconds. 

2. Scrape down sides and add melted butter. Pulse for another 5 seconds on medium speed until batter is smooth and all ingredients are incorporated. 

3. Refrigerate and let rest for at least 30 min, and up to 2 hours.

To make filling: 

Filling Ingredients

1. While the batter is resting, combine ricotta, cream cheese, powdered sugar, lemon zest, and salt in a large bowl. 

2. Whisk egg until homogenous and add to filling, stirring until all ingredients are smooth and fully incorporated. 

3. Cover and refrigerate until crepes are ready to be filled.

To make blintzes:

Crepe Stage

1. Heat an 8” non-stick pan on medium heat and brush with melted butter to coat. Pour ¼ cup of the batter into the pan and swirl to create an even layer. Cook for 30–60 seconds, or until the edges have solidified and slightly curled, and the batter is no longer liquid. 

2. Using a spatula (preferably offset), loosen the edges and flip the crepe to cook for another 30 seconds. The crepes should be lightly browned but still flexible so that they can be folded. Move crepe to plate, cover with towel, and repeat until all the batter is gone. 

3. Preheat the oven to 400° F. 

4. Take the filling out of the fridge. 

5. Place 3–4 heaping tablespoons of filling in a line along the lower third of the crepe. Then fold the bottom edge just enough to cover the filling. Fold the sides in and then roll up, similarly to a burrito. 

6. Once all the crepes are filled, heat the pan again on medium heat and brush with butter. Pan fry blintzes for 2 minutes per side until golden brown. 

7. Place blintzes seam side down in an oven-safe pan (or keep them in the skillet if you are using an ovenproof one).

8. Bake the blintzes for 10 minutes until the egg in the filling is cooked and the filling is warmed through. 

9. Transfer blintzes to serving plates and top with blueberry preserves and powdered sugar. I used some homemade preserves from a friend, but you can also make a sauce if desired.