Minka Liebotwitz, who went by Minnie, was born around 1910 in Baranovichi in modern-day Belarus. She immigrated to Brooklyn in the 1920s, and along with several of her sisters, was a garment worker. She would often host other immigrants in her home, serving groups of 20 or 30 blintzes and coffee late into the evening. The blintzes she made were a touch salty, she told her granddaughter Kim Salazar, because only the wealthy could afford sugar where she was from in Europe. They can be served with sour cream like Minka once did or with jam or fruit compote.
6 large eggs (7 if blintzes will be frozen or refrigerated)
Vegetable oil for frying
For the filling:
1 pound farmer cheese
1 pound pot cheese (or farmer cheese)
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
Sour cream for serving
Preparation
Make the crepes: Combine flour and water in medium bowl. Using an electric mixer or whisking by hand, blend until batter is completely smooth with no lumps. Add eggs and beat until incorporated.
Heat an 8- to 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Pour ¼ cup of vegetable oil into a small bowl and brush the hot skillet with a thin layer of oil.
Pour ¼-⅓ cup of batter into the pan lifting and swirling to coat the bottom evenly.
Place pan back on heat and cook until the edges have begun to curl and the center is set, about 60-90 seconds. The crepe should be lightly browned, but not crispy or stiff. Invert the finished crepe onto a clean dish towel to cool.
Repeat with the remaining batter, stacking crepes cooked-side down once cooled.
Make the filling: In a large bowl, mash together the farmer cheese, pot cheese. and cream cheese until well combined. Add eggs and salt and mix until smooth.
Assemble: Place a crepe, cooked side up on a clean work surface. Spoon 2 tablespoons of filling onto the bottom third of the crepe about 1 inch from the edge. Fold the lower edge of the crepe up over the filling. Fold the left and right sides of the crepe in and roll up like a burrito tucking in the edges as you go.
Repeat with the remaining crepes and filling (blintzes can be refrigerated for up to two day, or frozen for up to one month, at this point).
Fry: Heat ¼ cup of oil in a heavy bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Working in batches of 3, fry the blintzes beginning flap side down, about 2 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crispy.
Serve blintzes warm with sour cream or fruit compote.
