Birthright Israel participant Susana Szegedi shares her savory blintz recipe inspired by her time in Tzfat on the trip. She describes being in the middle of a bazaar and seeing a man making blintzes and filling them with mouthwatering ingredients. Instead of the traditional sweet filling, this recipe takes a more savory approach and uses goat cheese, arugula, and watercress and incorporates cumin.

What is Blintz?

A blintz is a thin, crepe-like pancake that is filled with a sweet or savory filling and then pan-fried. Blintzes are a traditional Jewish dish that originated in Eastern Europe. The word “blintze” comes from the Yiddish word “blintse,” which means “pancake.” The batter for a traditional blintz is made with flour, milk, eggs, salt, and sugar. The batter is whisked until smooth and then poured onto a hot griddle or frying pan. The pancakes are cooked until golden brown on both sides.

The filling for a traditional blintz can be sweet or savory. Some popular sweet fillings include farmer’s cheese, cottage cheese, cream cheese, and fruit. Some popular savory fillings include chopped meat, vegetables, and cheese.

A Savory Blintz Recipe

Ingredients for the Filling

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large red onion, sliced
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 bunch of arugula
  • 1 bunch watercress
  • 1 bunch spinach
  • 2-3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 package of goat cheese

Ingredients for the Blintz Batter

  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup of water
  • 1 cup of flour
  • 1/4 cup of sugar
  • 1 tbsp of vanilla
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 tbsp oil

Directions to Make the Blintz Filling

  1. Pour the oil into a wok or a large saucepan and braise the onions.
  2. Add the chili, pepper, cumin, garlic, and any other spices(s) you want to add.
  3. Wait until the chilies are soft, and gradually add the arugula, watercress, and spinach.
  4. Crumble the goat cheese over the leaves and mix it together.
  5. Feel free to taste the mixture and add more seasonings if necessary.

Directions to Make the Blintz Batter

  1. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, milk, and water. Blend together well.
  2. Gradually add the flour, sugar, vanilla, salt, and oil. Beat well until there are no lumps in the batter.
  3. Apply a thin coating of oil to a frying pan. Place the frying pan on medium heat.
  4. Ladle approximately 1/3 cup of batter into the frying pan or as much as needed to thinly cover the bottom.
  5. Fry on one side until small air bubbles are formed, and the top is set. The bottom should be golden brown. When done, carefully loosen the edges of the crepe and slip out of the skillet onto the plate.
  6. Repeat the above until the batter is finished. Grease the frying pan as needed.
  7. Turn each crepe so that the golden brown side is up. Place 3 tbsp of filling on one edge of the crepe.
  8. Roll once to cover the filling. Fold the sides into the center and continue rolling until completely closed.
  9. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in the frying pan and place each crepe seam side down in the skillet and fry for two minutes on each side, turning once.

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