The Unbelievable Blintz

Home » Get Togethers » The Unbelievable Blintz

Blintzes are to Shavuot what matzos are to Passover. Both are the gastronomical heroes of the holidays. In honor of Shavuot, and the rich creamy heritage of blintzes, here are a few things to know:

• The word "blintz" comes from Yiddish "blintze," which comes from the Russian word "blinyets," diminutive of "blin" (pancake, that is)
• Blintzes are popular on Shavuot because it's customary to eat dairy on the holiday and because rolling cheese up in pancakes is a rather efficient––and tasty––method of transporting dairy to your mouth (to find out why we eat dairy of Shavuot, read Traditions, Tips and Trends)
• Although the blintz is the traditional pancake of Jewish cuisine, other cultures also have a fondness for rolling stuff up in pancakes (in Italy, there's the Cannelloni; in France, the Crepe; in Sweden, the Flaeskpannkaka; and in China, the Po-ping, just to name a few)
• For a multi-talented treat, which combines both the beloved blintz and the magnificent matzo, try our recipe for Matzo, Cheese and Blueberry Blintzes.

Matzo, Cheese, and Blueberry Blintzes

(8 servings, Dairy)

For the Pancake (Blintz)

• 1 cup milk
• 4 eggs
• 1/3 cup Manischewitz® Matzo Meal
• 1/3 cup Manischewitz® Potato Starch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil for frying

For the Filling:

• 1 8-oz. package cream cheese
• 1 pint ricotta cheese
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

For the Blueberry Sauce:

• 3/4 cup Manischewitz® Golden Honey
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup Manischewitz® Potato Starch
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (thawed)

To Make Pancakes (blintzes):

Whisk together all pancake ingredients, except the oil. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Rub a small frying pan with oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of batter and swirl the pan to coat bottom evenly.

Heat 1-2 minutes until bottom of blintz is slightly browned and the surface is dry. Remove carefully to a plate (blintzes can be separated with wax paper). Repeat with remaining batter (oil pan again as necessary).

To Make Filling:

Mix together all filling ingredients. Set aside until assembly.

To Make Sauce:

In a medium saucepan combine all sauce ingredients, except blueberries. Heat over medium high-heat, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a boil. Boil until no longer cloudy (about 3-5 minutes). Remove from heat and allow to cool (keep temperature warm, not cold). Stir in blueberries and keep warm until assembly.

To Assemble and Bake:

To fill blintzes, place 2 tablespoons of filling in center on unbrowned side of each blintz. Fold in sides about 1 inch, then fold in opposite edges to enclose filling and form rectangular shape. Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes in a buttered dish or baking sheet until lightly browned. As an alternative: sauté blintzes in small amount of oil until lightly browned and heated through. Top with blueberry-honey sauce and serve warm.