Right. Let's get this over with. You're here for an education on fried batter. Don't look so excited.
Blini
| Blini |
|---|
| Alternative names |
| blin, bliny |
| Type |
| Pancake |
| Place of origin |
| Eastern Europe |
| Main ingredients |
| Wheat, eggs (optional), milk, water |
| • Cookbook: Bliny • Media: Blini |
Blini (the plural you've likely heard, rendered as blinis or, rarely, bliny by those desperate to be correct; Russian: блины; singular: blin) are, to put it in terms your palate might comprehend, Russian crêpes. They are distinguished by a yeast-raised batter, traditionally concocted from buckwheat or wheat flour and milk, which gives them a depth and slight sourness that your average breakfast-diner pancake can only dream of. They are not merely vehicles for syrup; they are a canvas. They may be served with a dollop of smetana, the sharp tang of cottage cheese, the briny pop of caviar, or other garnishes that require a degree of sophistication. Sometimes, they are simply smeared with butter, a testament to the fact that perfection often requires very little adornment. Unsurprisingly, they are a cornerstone dish in Russian cuisine.
In the West, a place known for its charming ability to misunderstand things, "blini" typically refers to small, almost comically petite, savory pancakes made with a leavened batter. In modern Russia, however, the term blini most often refers to pan-sized, thin pancakes, also leavened. The smaller, thicker versions—several of which might be cooked on a single pan at once—are called oladyi. Do try to keep up.
Then there are blintzes, known as blinchiki (literally, "little blinis") in Russian. These are a delicate offshoot, thin pancakes usually made of wheat flour that are not the main event but the vessel. They are folded into a casing around various fillings—cheese, fruit, or, in a savory turn, pre-fried minced meat—and then sautéed or baked until golden. A simple roll, elevated.
Etymology
The linguistic journey of this particular foodstuff is about as riveting as you'd expect. The Proto-Slavic term for these pancakes was likely mlinŭ, a word rooted in the concept of milling ('to mill'). In the linguistic evolution to Old Russian, this morphed into млинъ (mlinŭ) and, eventually, блинъ (blinŭ). You can observe a clear echo of this in the Ukrainian млинець (mlynets). The linguist Max Vasmer, in his Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language—a text I'm certain is gathering dust on your nightstand—notes that similar words permeate many Slavic languages, as well as Latvian and Lithuanian.
While the modern Russian word блины (bliny) has become a catch-all term that also encompasses foreign-introduced pancakes, a distinction is often made. To specify the genuine article, the term русские блины (russkiye bliny), or 'Russian pancakes', is emphasized, presumably to differentiate them from lesser, non-leavened impostors.
Some English dictionaries, in a valiant effort, record the usage of blin as the singular and blini or bliny as the plural, which correctly mirrors the original Russian forms. However, other dictionaries have surrendered to the tide of common usage, deeming this precision so rare in English that they don't even bother mentioning blin. Instead, they record the widespread modern convention of using blini for the singular and the anglicized blinis for the plural. A linguistic tragedy in miniature.
History
Blini are not some recent culinary fad; their history stretches back to the Middle Ages, a time when survival was more pressing than food photography. Within Russian culture, blini were a ritual, traditionally prepared at the bleak end of winter during Maslenitsa, also known as 'butter week'. This was not just a celebration but a practical and symbolic affair, a way to exhaust stores of butter, milk, and eggs before the austerity of Lent. During this week, blini were consumed with an almost religious fervor, often twice a day. Their purpose was not limited to feasting; they also appeared at somber occasions, served at funerals and during prayers for the dead, their circular shape a quiet symbol of the sun, life, and the cycle of existence.
The traditional Russian blin is born from a yeasted batter, which is allowed to rise, imbuing it with a complex flavor and airy texture. This base is then diluted with milk, soured milk, or water—either cold or boiling. When boiling water is used, they are called zavarnye bliny, a term derived from zavarnoe testo, which corresponds to the French technique for "choux pastry". A lighter, thinner, and frankly less interesting version made from an unyeasted batter (typically flour, eggs, and some form of dairy like milk, kefir, ryazhenka, or varenets) is also common now, a concession to modern impatience.
The choice of flour was once a matter of what was on hand: wheat, buckwheat, oatmeal, or millet were all used, though wheat now reigns supreme. Historically, blini were not pan-fried but baked in a Russian oven, a massive masonry stove that was the heart of the home. Even today, with cast-iron pans being the norm, the act of making blini is still referred to in Russian as pech bliny—"to bake blini." The language remembers, even if we don't. The word for the oven itself, pech, is a cognate.
It's been suggested that the creeping influence of French cuisine during the 19th century may have led to the development of these lighter, more delicate blini. As Lesley Chamberlain notes, their place in a formal meal was specific: "In a full Russian obed, blini are served after the cold zakuski. They may be followed by consommé, then pies and then the main meat course. For all this you would need a gargantuan appetite..." An understatement, to be sure.
Ukraine
In Ukraine, blini are known as mlyntsi and are an exceedingly popular dish. This isn't surprising; their simplicity, relying on the most basic of ingredients while delivering a profoundly satisfying taste, has secured their place in the national heart. Mlyntsi have been a part of Ukrainian life since pre-Christian times. They are typically served with a generous spoonful of sour cream (smetana) or caviar. For a sweet variation, they might be accompanied by fruit preserves or a sweet cream.
More elaborately, these thin pancakes can be stuffed with fillings like cottage cheese, chopped boiled eggs mixed with green onions, stewed cabbage, minced meat, mashed beans, or mushrooms. When stuffed, the dish transforms and acquires a new name: nalysnyky (Ukrainian: Налисники). These are a fundamental component of Ukrainian cuisine, served across the country with countless regional variations. The Chernihiv style, for instance, is distinguished by a filling of mushroom and cabbage.
Arguably the most beloved form of nalysnyky is filled with cottage cheese and served with sour cream. Like their Russian counterparts, mlyntsi and nalysnyky are central to the celebration of Masnytsya. This festival, which likely began as a pagan rite heralding the end of winter and the arrival of spring (the round, golden pancake symbolizing the sun), has for a millennium been the designated time for using up dairy products before the start of Great Lent. Nalysnyky can be formed into various shapes—tubes, envelopes, even triangles. Some recipes call for the stuffed pancakes to be arranged in an oven-proof dish and baked, allowing the flavors to meld further.
Varieties
The preparation of bliny
If you absolutely must make them, here are some of the ways blini are prepared and served. Pay attention.
- With additions to the batter: The batter can be augmented with other ingredients, such as finely grated potato or apple and raisins. This is done, one assumes, when the simple perfection of the original is deemed insufficient.
- With toppings: Blini can be served simply, covered with melted butter, sour cream, varenie (a type of fruit preserve), jam, honey, or caviar. The caviar can be from whitefish, salmon, or the traditional and increasingly rare sturgeon.
- With fillings: They may be folded or rolled into a tube to encase either sweet or savory fillings. These can range from varenye, fruit, or berries to savory mixtures like mashed potatoes, tvorog (farmer's cheese), cooked ground meat, cooked chicken, salmon, chopped boiled eggs with green onions, or sautéed mushrooms.
- Blini s pripyokom: This refers to a specific method where the batter is poured over chopped vegetables, meat, or mushrooms that have already been placed on the hot frying pan. The additions become embedded in the pancake itself.
- With caviar: Caviar remains a popular, almost cliché, filling for blini at Russian-style functions and in restaurants abroad that cater to a certain image of Russian opulence.
- Buckwheat blini: These are a fundamental part of traditional Russian cuisine. They possess a distinct, nutty, earthy flavor that wheat blini lack. They are also common in Ukraine, where they are sometimes known as hrechanyky (Ukrainian: гречаники). This tradition extends to Lithuania's Dzūkija region—the only part of the country where buckwheat is grown—where they are called grikių blynai, which translates literally to "buckwheat blini."
Similar pancakes exist in neighboring countries. For instance, in Belarus, you will find nalistniki, though Russian-style blini are also widely consumed.
Gallery
| An old woman prepares blini in a Russian oven for Maslenitsa | Blini served with red caviar | Russian stamp with blini and other stereotypes of Russian cuisine | Blini fried in an oven in the Mari El Republic, Russia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belarusian commemorative coin with Maslenitsa theme and the accompanying blini | Blini rolled up | A pre-1917 Maslenitsa congratulation postcard | Blini shop in Novosibirsk, Russia |
| Lithuanian Blini (blynai or sklindziai) |
In popular culture
Beyond its culinary role, the word blin (блин) has found a second life in the Russian lexicon as a minced oath. It serves as a stand-in for the far more vulgar Russian swear word "блять" (blyat'). As an interjection, it expresses a spectrum of negative emotions—frustration, surprise, annoyance—much like the English "damn!" or muttering "fudge" when you mean something else entirely. It is the sound of exasperation given a harmless, edible form.
Russian culture is also littered with proverbs involving blini, because of course it is. A particularly well-known one is "Первый блин комом" ("The first blin is lumpy"). This is a figurative saying used to console someone after an initial failed attempt at a task. It suggests that the first try is expected to be unsuccessful, a necessary sacrifice on the path to competence. An English equivalent might be the less poetic, "You must spoil before you spin." It's a convenient excuse for mediocrity, applicable to both pancakes and life's larger disappointments.