RECIPE // Rosewater Blintzes with Mango

Thin rosewater crepes stuffed with sweet ricotta cheese and topped with sour cream, powdered sugar, sliced lemon, and fresh mangoes.

In light of my recent visit to Tangier I wanted to post this recipe containing rosewater, which is popularly used in Moroccan cuisine.  Rosewater is a by-product of steam-distilling crushed rose petals to obtain their essential oils, a process which has been used since as early as the twelfth century.

Years ago – after having an unforgettable brunch involving rose-flavoured jelly and pastries at a Persian restaurant in Montreal – I vowed to figure out a way to incorporate rosewater into my own brunch recipes.  Using it in blintzes was my first try, and it has become a family favourite.  The delicate rose scent works beautifully in both the crepes and their filling.

This is my own recipe adapted from what I learned about making blintzes from my father, who is an excellent cook and my favourite chef.  They aren’t technically difficult to make, but it takes about an hour and a half.

I have tried pairing these blintzes with lots of things, but my favourite way to serve them is topped with sour cream, powdered sugar, lemon, and fresh mango.  They are also delicious with homemade blueberry syrup.

INGREDIENTS:

Crepes:
4 eggs
1 cup milk (skim, whole, soy, or almond)
4/5 cup water
1/5 cup rose water
1 cup flour (spelt or white)
3T granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
Butter for frying

Filling:
450-550g Ricotta Cheese
2 eggs
1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
3T Rose Water

Toppings:
3 yellow Mangoes (sliced into small flat squares)
Sour Cream
Powdered Sugar
Squeeze of Lemon (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.

2. Beat 4 eggs

3. Add milk, water, and rose water and mix well.

4. Sift in flour, sugar, and salt, beating continuously to make sure flour doesn’t clump into pockets.

5. Mix ingredients for filling in bowl.  I always make sure to taste and smell both crepe mixture and filling to make sure there is enough rose water, and filling for sugar.

6. Melt 2T butter in frying pan at medium heat.

7. Add a ladle full of the crepe mixture to make a thin cover over the bottom of the pan.

8. When surface of crepe is dry to the touch, remove with spatula and place on a large plate for assembly.

9. Add 2-3 teaspoons of the filling to the center, then fold into a square and place on a cookie sheet.

10. The time it takes to assemble a crepe is pretty much the same as the time it takes for the batter to cook, so for maximum efficiency I prepare as follows: remove crepe from pan, pour in more mixture, assemble crepe while that mixture is cooking, and so on. You may also want to add a little more butter to the bottom of the pan between blintzes. Blintzes will get browner as you go along. This works out well because everyone prefers them differenty.

11. When all the blintzes have been made, place in oven for 20 minutes.

12. Serve warm as is or covered topped with sour cream, powdered sugar, lemon, and mango.

Makes 12 Blintzes (serves 4-5)