Here’s another terrific brunch recipe…and another way to use crepes. This recipe was given to me orally by my wonderful grandmother Fanny Gross Marad who let me help in the kitchen when I was just a wee thing. Thanks to her, my first kitchen experiences were rewarding and I like to think that her support of my early endeavors helped me down my culinary path. A talented cook herself, I often think that if Fanny had been living in more modern times, she would have been a chef and restauranteur instead of a mother who cooked fantastic meals for her kids and grandkids and worked part time managing a Horn and Hardart in Philadelphia. The only other blintzes I ever tasted that were as good as hers was at The Ambassador, a Jewish dairy restaurant near her home on Girard Ave. in Philly.
Fanny’s Cheese Blintzes
To make the filling:
2 pounds dry farmer’s cheese (hard to find these days) or Ricotta will do nicely
Rind and juice of one lemon
3 eggs at room temperature
4 Tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons flour
¼ teaspoon vanilla
Unsalted butter for the frying pan
Beat the eggs until foamy. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend with a spoon.
To fill and fry the crepes:
If defrosting, take the crepes out the night before and defrost in the fridge. Figure on two to three crepes per serving.
Fill the crepes using about ¼ cup or less filling per crepe. Tuck in the side ends, then roll towards you, placing the seam side down in a pan with moderately hot melted butter sizzling away. Don’t crowd them and turn only once when they are nicely browned. Lift out the crepes onto warmed plates. Revel in all things dairy and garnish them lavishly.
To Garnish:
Have good quality sour cream and honey on hand along with long curls of lemon zest and maybe some fresh berries. Plate and enjoy with the toppings of your choice.
Serves 4.
Laura Cabot is an MF&L columnist and blogger, a French trained chef with a long career as a chef/restaurant owner, and president of Laura Cabot Catering in Waldoboro.
