Similar to the last post for blinis, this is a Russian recipe for blinchik, a thinner type of crepe or pancake. Two places in London that I like to order blinchik from are Borscht and Tears in Knightsbridge and Land of Fire in Kings Cross. Usually, the filling is either a meat or cheese mixture. This time I used cottage cheese and herbs for the recipe for blinchik. The most time-consuming step is preparing all of the crepes. Then you just fill them, fold them up and fry them to seal. Serve with garnishes and toppings of your choice.
Ingredients
Crepes
125g plain flour
Pinch of sugar
Pinch of salt
2 eggs
200g soured cream
1 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp hot water
Up to 450ml water
Meat filling
1 kg (2.2 lbs) Ground Beef
1 onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
Salt & Pepper
Cheese filling
Half an onion, finely minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp chopped chives
1 Tbsp chopped parsley
1 Tbsp chopped dill
300g cottage cheese
1 egg yolk
Salt & pepper to taste
Vegetable oil to brush pan
For Garnish
Soured Cream
Chives, chopped
Dill, chopped
Instructions
First prepare either the meat or cheese filling.
Meat filling
First, heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat and sauté the onions and garlic until golden. Then add the minced beef, and sauté until the beef is fully cooked. Finally, season with salt and pepper. Then remove from heat and set aside.
Cheese Filling
For the cheese filling, if you are using cottage cheese, then use a hand blender or a fork to make the cottage cheese smoother. First, heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat and sauté the onions and garlic until golden. Then add the chopped herbs and sauté for a few more minutes. Then mix the cheese in with the herb mixture, egg yolk, and seasoning. Cook for a few minutes then set aside.
Blinchik
First, in a large mixing bowl, mix flour, salt and sugar.
In a separate bowl mix together the soured cream and eggs. Then in a small dish mix the baking soda with hot water until dissolved, then add to the soured cream mixture.
Next, mix the soured cream mixture into the flour and water as needed to make the batter pourable, but not too watery. Whisk until smooth.
Heat a crepe pan (or large frying pan) over medium-high heat. Brush lightly with vegetable oil. Then add batter and tilt to rotate the pan to allow the batter to spread evenly in a thin layer across the bottom of the pan.
When bubbles start to form, flip to cook the other side for a minute. Then put the cooked crepe onto a plate. Repeat until all of the batter is gone. Occasionally brush the pan with oil if the crepes are sticking.
When all of the crepes are finished, take one at a time and fill it with a heaped Tablespoon of the filling. Then roll it together to form either a cigar shape tucked in at the ends or a rectangular shape like a small burrito. Place sealed side down on a plate until ready to fry.
Next, heat a light layer of oil in a pan over medium heat. Place the blinis, seal side down in the pan. Fry for 2-3 minutes until the bottom is golden. Then turn and fry the other side for 2-3 minutes.
Drain excess oil on a dish lined with kitchen roll/paper towels. Finally serve with a side of soured cream and fresh chives and/or dill.
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