Have you ever eaten a fig blintz? It’s a wrap that’s lighter and thinner than a pancake—with double the figs. Filled with diced figs and cottage cheese, blintz are topped with a bright fig jam. They’re great for leisurely breakfasts on the weekends.
Filling for Cottage Cheese Blintz
Blintz typically are stuffed with a creamy filling. In this case, cottage cheese, which adds a nubby texture and extra protein and cream cheese. Combined with a bit of sugar and diced figs, the filling is luscious and comes together quickly. Final additions include lemon zest, which brings balance and citrusy note as vanilla completes the combination.
Figs then get diced and mixed in. Try Sun-Maid or Orchard Choice Golden Figs for a tangy, nutty, and delicately sweet flavor. Or, go with the more familiar fig flavor by using Mission Figs.
How to Fill the Cottage Cheese Blintz
The blintz resemble crepes and are of Ashkenazi Jewish origins. Add a hearty dollop of the filling right about the center.
Next, you want to roll the bottom flap of the blintz up to the halfway point before tucking in the sides.
Finally, you’ll roll the blintz all the way up to seal in the filling.
Recommended toppings include sour cream and Fig Jam—we have several kinds that would be delicious here, including Cocoa Fig Jam for a chocolatey twist, Fig Thyme Jam for an herbal note, or if you want something a bit zesty, try Fig Black Pepper Jam. Or, go for our classic Quick Fig Jam. All of the jams are easy!
Cottage Cheese Blintz with Figs
Ingredients
Filling:
- 1 cup fat-free cottage cheese or low-fat
- 4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
- 2 to 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup Orchard Choice or Sun-Maid California Figs chopped, stemmed
Pancakes:
- 1 1/2 cups fat-free milk or low-fat
- 1 1/3 cups white whole wheat flour
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 8 to 10 teaspoons butter
Topping:
- 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream or reduced-fat
- 3 tablespoons Quick Fig Jam
Instructions
- For filling, in food processor bowl, combine cottage cheese, cream cheese, sugar, zest and vanilla extract. Whirl until smooth, stopping to scrape side of bowl once or twice. Scrape mixture into a bowl. Stir in figs. Cover and chill until ready to bake blintzes. (Can be made up to 1 day before serving.)
- For pancakes, in clean, dry food processor bowl, combine milk, flour, eggs, sugar and salt. Whirl until blended. Pour into a 2-cup glass measuring cup or bowl. Cover and chill for 1 hour. Batter should be the consistency of heavy cream. Place a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon butter to skillet. When butter melts, swirl pan to coat evenly. Add about 1/4 cup batter. Tilt pan to cover bottom evenly. Return to heat and cook until underside is golden, about 45 to 60 seconds. Carefully flip pancake and cook the other side for 10 to15 seconds. Remove to a wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining batter and butter. (Cooled pancakes can be stacked between sheets of wax paper, wrapped airtight and refrigerated for 1 to 2 days before serving.)
- To assemble and bake, preheat oven to 375ºPlace one pancake on a cutting board. Spoon 1/3 cup filling in the shape of a cylinder (about 3-x-2-incslightly below the center of one pancake. Fold up bottom of pancake over filling. Fold in sides. Roll up to enclose filling. Place, seam side down, on baking sheet coated with nonstick spray. Repeat to make 6 blintzes. Spray tops of blintzes with nonstick spray or brush with 1 tablespoon of butter, melted. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until hot.
- Serve warm, topping each with about a tablespoon of sour cream and a teaspoon or two of Fig Spread.
Notes
Recipe and photo by Lorelle Del Matto
