Crepes (Blintzes)

  

I am always excited to share the dishes that are so versatile that you can make them for any occasion. I find that crepes are one of those extremely multipurpose foods. They are like a blank canvas – you can turn them into anything from wonderful desserts to amazing savory appetizers.

To serve them as appetizers you need to choose a filling and secure it inside the crepe. There are many ways to do so:

• Tubes: put the filling on one end and roll it up like you would an enchilada
• Squares: put the filling in the middle and close the four sides like the top of the box
• Triangles: put the filling in the middle and fold it over twice

There are numerous ideas for fillings and I am a big fan of the following: ham and cheese, salted salmon, ricotta cheese with spinach, mashed potatoes with mushrooms and etc. Here is a quick filling recipe to try: cook chicken, mushrooms and onion according to this recipe, add some cheese and you have a great savory filling for a crepe.

  

To serve them as a dessert you can go a total “Jackson Pollock” on them:) Sprinkle them with powdered sugar, “drip paint” some chocolate syrup or berry sauce and you have a simple and delicious dessert (or work of art if you wish:). Another great way to finish a nice dinner is to have a couple of warm crepes with a scoop of ice cream and some cut berries or banana on the side.

Crepes can be prepared in advance and stored in a fridge for 2 days or in a freezer for 2 months. 

Crepes are great when you have a big event coming or just want to make something special and fun for your family!

Ingredients:

2 cups milk

3 eggs

a little over 1 cup flour

1 tbsp sugar (2 tbsp for sweet crepes)

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp vegetable oil + some for greasing the pan

1/4 stick butter

½ potato, peeled (for greasing the pan)

Making the batter:

 

In a bowl combine eggs, salt and sugar and blend well. Add 1 cup of milk to the mixture and blend again. Add the flour to the bowl and whisk until the batter is smooth. Pour in the rest of the milk and whisk again. Stir in the oil and let the batter settle for 15 minutes.

Put the butter in a small bowl and microwave it until it is melted. Set it on the side with a brush. Prepare a plate to put cooked crepes on. Pour some oil in a bowl and keep a potato in it – use the potato to grease the pan (you can also use a piece of paper towel folded several times to grease the surface, but I find that the potato takes the perfect amount of oil and you don’t burn your fingers). Lightly grease a pancake pan and heat it until it is very hot. Keep the heat setting on high. Scoop half of the ladle of the batter and pour it in the center of the pan. Swirl the pan to cover it evenly with batter. Cook until the ends of the crepe become crispy and light brown (40-45 sec). Pick it up with spatula and turn it to cook the other side. Once it’s ready, move it to the plate and brush with melted butter. Continue to make the rest of the crepes. Serve hot.

Makes 12-13 crepes.

Tips:

• Grease the pan every time before pouring batter
• Brush the crepes with butter as soon as they are out from the pan 
• Do not use electric mixer to make the batter – use a whisk
• Experiment with the amount of batter you put on the pan – it all depends on the size of the pan

Enjoy!