Shared by Adeena Sussman
Shared by Adeena Sussman
Blintzes With Sweet Farmers Cheese or Potato Filling
Yield: 10 - 12 blintzesTime: 1h 20min
Blintzes With Sweet Farmers Cheese or Potato Filling
Yield: 10 - 12 blintzesTime: 1h 20minThis recipe was shared by Adeena Sussman. Read more about her family in "A California Persimmon Cake Finds New Life in Tel Aviv" and try her recipe for triple persimmon loaf.
Ingredients
For the crepes:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1¼ cups whole milk
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled, plus more for cooking the crepes
- 1 tablespoon minced chives (for the savory crepes)
For the sweet cheese filling:
- One 16-ounce package farmer’s cheese
- 1 egg, plus 1 yolk
- ⅓ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
For the potato-cheese filling:
- 1¼ pounds russet potatoes (about 2 large), peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Pinch of ground white pepper, to taste (optional)
- 5 ounces kashkaval or kaseri cheese, shredded (1½ cups)
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives, plus more for garnish
For serving:
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Sour cream (for the sweet blintzes)
- Jam (for the sweet blintzes)
- Creamy mushroom sauce (for the savory blintzes; recipe below)
Preparation
Step 1
Make the crepes: Combine the flour and salt in a medium bowl and make a well in the center. Whisk the eggs and milk together and pour into the well. Whisk the batter until smooth, then whisk in the melted butter.
Step 2
Strain the batter through a fine-mesh sieve and, if making savory crepes, stir in the chives.
Step 3
Heat an 8-inch nonstick crepe pan or skillet over medium heat until hot. Brush lightly with butter, then ladle about 3 tablespoons of the batter into the center of the skillet. Rotate the skillet in a circular motion to swirl the batter and coat the bottom of the pan evenly with the batter. (If you hear it sizzle in the pan, your heat is too high.) Cook until the crepe is just set, 30 seconds to 1 minute; you shouldn’t have to flip it. Use a small offset spatula to gently loosen the sides of the crepe and gently slide it onto a wax or parchment paper-lined plate. Repeat with the remaining crepes, very lightly brushing the pan with butter as needed and layering the paper and crepes.
Step 4
For the sweet cheese filling: Combine the farmer’s cheese, egg, egg yolk, honey, lemon zest, and salt in a bowl and mix until smooth.
Step 5
For the potato-cheese filling: Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan, cover with 2-inches of cold water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until very soft, about 15 minutes.
Step 6
While the potatoes are cooking, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and season lightly with salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring, until the onions are soft and golden, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Step 7
When the potatoes are soft, drain them in a colander and return them to the pot. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter, and season to taste with salt and the white pepper, if using. Mash with a potato masher or fork until soft and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the onions, cheese, and chives until combined. Cover and let the mixture rest until cool enough to handle.
Step 8
Fill the blintzes: Place ¼ cup of filling on each crepe about 2 inches from one end, shaping it into a 3-inch by 1-inch log. Fold the lower edge of the crepe over the filling, then fold the sides inwards and continue to roll the blintz, burrito-style. Repeat with the remaining crepes and filling.
Step 9
Cook the blintzes: Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, add the blintzes seam side-down and cook until deep golden brown on each side, flipping once, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter and repeat with the remaining blintzes. Cover them loosely with foil to keep warm.
Step 10
To serve the blintzes: Serve the sweet cheese blintzes with sour cream and jam; serve the potato-cheese blintzes with creamy mushroom sauce (recipe below).
Make ahead: The crepes can be made in advance and stored between wax or parchment paper sheets in a large resealable plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to one day. The filling can be made in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days. Alternately, the crepes can be filled and stored in an airtight container for 1 to 2 days before cooking.
From Adeena: Religious Jews in Northern California would come from to the Sussman garage to buy cheese. Among the cheeses was farmers cheese, which her grandmother Mildred called hoop cheese and used to make blintzes. Adeena has updated the recipe, taking inspiration from frozen blintzes that were also part of her childhood and chef Thomas Keller’s crepe recipe. These homemade crepes can be stuffed with either potato-cheese filling or sweet farmers cheese. If you opt for sweet, top the blintzes with jam and sour cream. For the savory version, make a simple mushroom cream sauce.
