Recipe(tried): Ukrainian Cheese Filled Nalysnyky with Variations (crepes)

UKRAINIAN CHEESE FILLED NALYSNYKY
WITH VARIATIONS (CREPES)

These crepes are usually filled with Sweet Farmer's Cheese also with meat, or fruit and served accompanied by sour cream.

FOR THE NALYSNYKY: CREPES:
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten
1 cup milk, at room temperature
1 Tablespoons sugar for a sweet filling, 1/2 teaspoon for a savory filling
Large pitch of salt
1 1/3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 cup club soda
4 Tablespoons clarified butter
1 recipe Meat, Sweet Farmer's cheese, or Apple filling (recipes follow)
1 1/2 Tablespoons vegetable oil (about)
Confectioners' sugar, if using a sweet filling

FOR THE SWEET FARMER'S CHEESE FILLING:
1 1/2 pounds farmer's cheese
1/4 cup sugar, or more to taste
3 heaping Tablespoons sour cream
1/2 cup raisins (optional)

FOR THE APPLE FILLING:
5 Tablespoons unsalted butter
9 tart apples (such as Granny Smith), cored, peeled, and sliced
1/3 cup light brown sugar (packed)
1/4 cup brandy
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

FOR THE MEAT FILLING:
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onions
1 1/2 pounds cooked beef or chicken, ground
2 Tablespoons canned chicken broth
2 Tablespoons sour cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

TO MAKE THE NALYSNYKY:
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolk, milk, sugar, and salt. Gradually add the flour, continuing to whisk until the batter is smooth. (This can be done in a food processor.) Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, then stir the club soda into the batter.

Heat a crepe pan or a 7-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. When it's very hot, brush the skillet with about 1/2 teaspoon of the clarified butter.

Remove the pan from heat. Measure out about 2 1/2 Tablespoons of the batter and quickly pour it into the pan. Quickly rotate and tilt the pan until the batter covers the bottom completely. Fry one side until golden, about 1 minute. Turn, and fry on the other side for 10 seconds more. It should be paler than the first side. Remove and set aside. Repeat with the rest of the batter.

Place a crepe on a cutting board, well-browned side up, and place 2 heaping tablespoons of the filling in a row slightly below center. Fold the closest end up over the filling, then fold both sides in toward the center and roll up as you would an egg roll. Repeat with the remaining crepes.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add as many crepes as fit comfortably and fry on both sides until golden, about 5 minutes.

Repeat with the rest of the crepes, keeping the cooked ones warm in the oven. Sprinkle the nalysnyky with a sweet filling with confectioners' sugar before serving. Makes about 18.

FOR THE SWEET FARMER'S CHEESE FILLING:
Process the farmer's cheese, sugar, and sour cream in a food processor, until smooth.

Transfer to a bowl, add the raisins, if desired, and mix well. Filling enough for 18.

FOR THE APPLE FILLING:
Melt 2 Tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add as many apples as fit comfortably, and saut , stirring occasionally, until soft, about 15 minutes. Repeat with the rest of the apples, adding more butter as needed.

Return the apples to the skillet, stir in the brown sugar and brandy and cook, stirring, over high heat, until the brandy reduces by half, about 5 minutes.

Transfer the apples to a bowl and add cinnamon, if desired. Let the filling cool to lukewarm before filling the nalysnyky. Enough filling to fill 18.

FOR THE MEAT FILLING:
Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until deeply browned, about 15 minutes.

In a large bowl, mix the onion thoroughly with the remaining ingredients. Makes enough to fill 18.

NOTE*: The meat can be made either from beef, chicken, or turkey. They are served hot, accompanied by sour cream.

For the cheese filling add 1 cup of well drained canned sour cherries to this classic filling instead of raisins. Sprinkle with confections' sugar and with sour cream on the side.

For the apple filling pass a bowl of cr me fraiche to dollop on. Don't feel confined to using only apples. Substitute apricots, peaches or a favorite berry.

NOTE**: Pot cheese is a medium dry cottage cheese, also known as pressed cottage cheese. If drained until dry and crumbly, it becomes farmer's cheese. Both pot cheese and farmer's cheese can be found in Eastern European grocery stores and cheese shops; many supermarkets also stock farmer's cheese.