Spring Rhubarb Blintzes

With inspiration from Mark Bittman

Blintzes are very similar to crepes, but typically folded like eggrolls. Blintzes also have one extra step - a quick sauté or bake after assembling - to crisp up the outsides of these yummy little packages. You can substitute other fruit sauces, even jams, for the topping.

Prep Time

0 minutes

Cook Time

60 minutes

Yield

4 Servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter (or neutral oil)
3⁄4 cup flour (all-purpose)
  pinch salt
1 cup milk
3 egg
1 1⁄2 cups cottage cheese
2 teaspoons honey
1 pound rhubarb (leaves discarded, tough strings removed)
1 apple
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

To make the blintzes

Melt butter and set aside. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and milk until well combined. Add the eggs and cooled butter, beating until smooth. Allow to rest for up to an hour in the refrigerator if time allows to let air bubbles settle out. Meanwhile, prepare the filling and start cooking the sauce (see below). 

Heat a non-stick pan to medium-high until a few sprinkles of water evaporate quickly. Ladle or pour a few tablespoons of batter in. Deftly swirl the pan in a circular motion to spread the batter into a large, even 6-8 inch circle. This will take nimble hands and a bit of practice - don't worry if the first one doesn't come out perfect. Allow to cook for about a minute until the batter dries, then carefully flip over to finish cooking for another 30 seconds. Both sides should be cooked and delicately browned, but not crispy. Remove and stack on a plate for filling. You should get about 10 or 12 blintzes out of the batter.

To make the filling and rhubarb sauce

Combine the cottage cheese and honey to make the filling. Set aside.

Wash the rhubarb stalks and discard the leaves. Finely chop the rhubarb and apple, then place in a medium sauce pan over medium high heat. Once simmering, reduce heat and cover. Cook until the rhubarb is softened and sauce is slightly thickened, Add maple syrup and vanilla, and adjust sweetness to taste.

Assemble the blintzes

One at a time, spoon a few tablespoons of the cottage cheese mixture onto one end of a blintze. Fold the bottom edge over the filling, then fold in the sides like an eggroll and roll up into a tidy little package. Continue doing this with the rest of the blintzes and filling. Bake or saute to finish. If baking, place the blintzes close together in a buttered oven-safe dish and bake at 400 degrees for a few minutes until browned and crisped. If sautéing, place a few at a time in a medium-high, buttered pan until the bottoms are crisp, then flip and crisp the tops. Serve on plates with generous dollops of rhubarb sauce over each.