Learn how to cook popular Russian dishes!

Living in New York City, there is a plethora of ethnic restaurant on every single street. Whether it be Italian, Chinese, Mediterranean or Thai, the possibilities are endless. Every taste of the world is just around the corner. Yet most people have never even heard of Russian food, and if they have they assume it consists of meat and potatoes, and the infamous vodka of course. Russian food, however, consists of more than just those three things. It has a variety of light dishes such as salads or soups, as well as hearty dishes (this is where the meat and potatoes come in), and even a wide range of desserts or sweet dishes.

Just like in any cuisine, there are dishes that are eaten specifically for breakfast, lunch or dinner. One of the most popular breakfast choices amongst Russians is called “blinchiki” also known as blinches in English. Blinchiki are essentially the equivalent of crepes, and if made correctly they are absolutely delicious. Once they are cooked, they are generally stuffed with either meat or a sweet cheese filling. Meat blinches make for a light lunch, and I personally prefer them later on in the day rather than as soon as the sun comes up. Nonetheless, both types are a delight to eat.

Another quick and popular meal to make in the morning is called a hot sandwich, or as we say in Russian, a “gorachi buterbrod”. This sandwich is absolutely perfect if you want something warm and fresh in the morning but filling at the same time. It contains slices of a fresh baguette, salami and mozzarella cheese. It sounds very heavy for something to eat in the morning, but you’ll forget about that when you taste it. If you ever need a meal to wake you up in the morning, this one is definitely a winner.

Now let’s get to the cooking! Below is a list of ingredients and steps that you need to follow in order to make blinchiki with the sweet cheese filling and the hot sandwiches. Watch the video so you can see how to make them. Enjoy!

For the blinches you will need: 2 eggs 1 tbsp sugar 1/2 tsp salt 1 cup of flour 2 cups of milk 1 tbsp cooking oil

To make the cheese filling you need: 1 package of Farmer’s cheese UNSALTED Sugar (you may use your desired amount) Vanilla sugar (half a packet) 1 egg yolk

For the Hot Sandwiches you need: 1 package of fresh mozzarella cheese 1 package of salami 1 fresh baguette