Shavuot Blintzes

Nearly every biblical feast in Israel comes with its own food-related traditions. Some holidays call for abstinence from a food group, while others command fasting altogether. Then there are those that invite you to indulge in special delicacies. Shavuot falls in the latter category. On the Feast of Weeks, Israelis dine on all kinds of dairy treats. Nobody can pinpoint the exact reason behind this tradition, but the ambiguity matters little. For Shavuot dinner, tables groan under delectable quiches, mouth-watering salads, flaky cream pastries and cheese-stuffed blintzes.

The blintz came to Israel courtesy of Eastern Europe’s Ashkenazi Jewry. It resembles a crepe-like pancake, which is folded around a creamy filling of sweet cheese, fried to golden perfection and served with a tart, fruity topping.

Ingredients

 For the blintzes:
1 cup flour
1 egg
2 cups milk
Butter or vegetable oil for frying

For the filling:
16 oz. (450 g.) mascarpone1 egg yolk
1 Tbsp. butter
2 tsp. vanilla extract
¼ cup sugar

For the topping:
2 apples
3 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. honey

Directions
For the topping:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Core and cut the apples into bite-sized chunks and spread evenly on a baking tray.
3. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter and honey until the butter is melted.
4. Pour the butter and honey mixture over the apple chunks.
5. Roast for 40 minutes until golden brown.

 For the blintzes:
1. Blend the flour, egg and milk together to form a smooth batter.
2. Heat up a greased frying pan over medium heat until hot.
3. Pour approximately 1/4 cup of batter into the pan, tilting the pan in a circular motion until a thin layer of batter covers the entire bottom of the pan.
4. Cook for approximately 60 seconds until golden brown.
5. Using a spatula, flip the blintz and cook for another 60 seconds on the other side.
6. Slide the cooked blintz onto a plate and set aside.
7. Repeat with the remainder of the batter.

For the topping:
1. Combine all the topping ingredients to form a smooth, fluffy mixture.

To assemble:
1. Spoon 1 tsp. of filling onto the edge of a blintz and fold the blintz like an envelope around the filling.
2. Repeat, using the remaining blintzes and filling.
3. Heat up a greased frying pan over medium heat until hot, and fry the blintzes for 60 seconds on each side.
4. Serve warm, topped with roasted apples.
Serves 8