Basic Crepe Batter:
1 cup milk
1/4 cup cold water
2 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
Pinch salt
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more
for sauteing the crepes Cheese Filling, recipe
follows
Blueberry Sauce, recipe follows
Combine the milk, water, eggs, flour, salt and
sugar in a blender. Blend on medium speed for 15
seconds, until the batter is smooth and
lump-free. Scrape down the sides of the blender
and pour in 3 tablespoons of melted butter. Blend
it again for a second just to incorporate.
Refrigerate the batter for 1 hour to let it rest.
If the crepes are made immediately, they have a
tendency to be rubbery; when you let the batter
rest, the crepes have a better texture and a
softer bite.
Put an 8-inch crepe pan or nonstick skillet
over medium heat and brush with a little melted
butter for added assurance. Pour 1/4 cup of
batter into the pan and swirl it around so it
covers the bottom evenly; pour back any excess.
Cook for 30 to 45 seconds, until the crepe batter
sets. Lightly bang the edge of the pan with a
wooden spoon to loosen the crepe; then flip it
and cook another 30 seconds. The art of flipping
a crepe in the air takes practice, so make sure
no one is looking when you get the first one
going. If this intimidates you, use a heatproof
rubber spatula to loosen and flip the crepe. The
crepes should be pliable, not crisp, and lightly
brown. Slide them onto a platter and continue
making the crepes until all the batter is used.
Cover the stack of crepes with a towel to keep
them from drying out. This makes 10 crepes.
Assembly: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Forming the blintzes is kind of like making
burritos. Spoon 1/4 cup of the cheese filling
along the lower third of the crepe. Fold the
bottom edge away from you to just cover the
filling; then fold the 2 sides in to the center.
Roll the crepe away from you a couple of times to
make a package, ending with the seam side down.
Put an ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Brush
with melted butter. Pan-fry the blintzes for 2
minutes per side until crisp and golden.
Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 10
minutes so the egg in the filling cooks slightly
and the cheese sets. Using a spatula, transfer
the blintzes to serving plates. Spoon the
blueberry sauce on top, dust with confectioners'
sugar, and serve right away.
Serve with chopped banana and remaining
blueberry sauce. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and
serve.
Cheese Filling:
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
4 ounces cream cheese
3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
1 lemon, zested and finely grated
1 egg
In a food processor, combine the ricotta
cheese, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, lemon
zest, and egg and blend until smooth. Chill the
filling to firm it up a bit so it doesn't squirt
out of the blintzes.
Blueberry Sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
2 pints blueberries
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 lemon, juiced
Melted unsalted butter, for sauteing blintzes
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Combine the butter, blueberries, sugar,
cornstarch, and lemon juice in a small pot over
medium-high heat. Bring up to a low boil and stir
gently until the berries break down and release
their natural juices. The consistency should
remain a bit chunky. It will thicken up when it
cools down slightly.
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