Blinis, also known as bliny, are thin pancakes typical of Russian cuisine. Served as an appetizer or winter brunch, they are eaten hot with a spoonful of sour cream, smoked fish, and other toppings of your choice.
They are traditionally prepared for Maslenitsa, a holiday now linked to Lent but with pagan origins, which marked the beginning of spring and celebrated the return of the sun: the round, yellow shape of the pancakes, in fact, recalls that of the star. In Russia, you can also find them in a version more similar to our American pancakes.
Our recipe is quick and easy: simply mix the egg yolk with milk, fresh cream, and salt, then stir in the flour and instant yeast for savory pies to form a smooth batter. Let it rest for about an hour. Then, fold in the beaten egg whites and cook, pouring two tablespoons of batter at a time into a nonstick pan greased with a drizzle of oil and cooking the blinis for a few minutes on each side.
Once ready, garnish with robiola or cream cheese, smoked salmon, and a few sprigs of dill. Fragrant and flavorful, they're perfect for a special dinner with friends, accompanied by your favorite ingredients: you can replace the cream cheese with sour cream and the salmon with shrimp, swordfish, or smoked tuna.
Ingredients
How to Make Russian Blinis
Break the egg, separate the yolk from the white and place them in two different bowls.
Break the egg, separate the yolk from the white and place them in two different bowls.
Add the salt, milk and unsweetened fresh cream to the bowl with the egg yolk; cover and set aside the egg white, to use in the next steps of the recipe.
Add the salt, milk and unsweetened fresh cream to the bowl with the egg yolk; cover and set aside the egg white, to use in the next steps of the recipe.
Mix the liquid ingredients well.
Mix the liquid ingredients well.
Incorporate the flour and baking powder previously sifted.
Incorporate the flour and baking powder previously sifted.
Mix the mixture until you obtain a smooth, homogeneous batter without lumps; cover it with cling film and let it rest for an hour at room temperature.
Mix the mixture until you obtain a smooth, homogeneous batter without lumps; cover it with cling film and let it rest for an hour at room temperature.
Once the necessary time has passed, beat the egg whites until stiff using an electric whisk.
Once the necessary time has passed, beat the egg whites until stiff using an electric whisk.
Gradually add the egg white to the mixture, mixing with a spatula from the bottom up.
Gradually add the egg white to the mixture, mixing with a spatula from the bottom up.
You should get a fluffy and frothy mass.
You should get a fluffy and frothy mass.
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Heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil in a non-stick pan and pour in two level tablespoons of batter.
Heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil in a non-stick pan and pour in two level tablespoons of batter.
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Cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes, then turn the pancake over with a spatula and finish cooking on the other side.
Cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes, then turn the pancake over with a spatula and finish cooking on the other side.
Proceed in the same way for all the blinis, piling them up one by one on a plate.
Proceed in the same way for all the blinis, piling them up one by one on a plate.
Once ready, garnish the blinis with cream cheese, a slice of smoked salmon and a few sprigs of dill.
Once ready, garnish the blinis with cream cheese, a slice of smoked salmon and a few sprigs of dill.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
FAQs
How Can I Serve My Blinis?
If you want to impress your guests with a gourmet touch, you can spread them with a thin layer of lemon-infused butter and garnish them with a teaspoon of caviar. You can also enjoy them as a sweet treat for breakfast or as a happy ending to a meal, paired with jams and preserves, hazelnut spread, and anything else your imagination can conjure up: soft and delicious, they'll win over both adults and children from the first bite.
How to Store Any Leftovers
If you have any leftovers, you can store them unfilled in the refrigerator, tightly sealed in an airtight container, for up to 2 days.
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