Mlyntsi (pancakes with jam)

Mlyntsi is the Ukrainian word for pancakes. It's a plural form of the word mlynetz, the second syllable is stressed. This dish is also called blyny (or blini) after the Russian word for pancakes. This recipe belongs to Ukrainian cuisine and is very different from Russian pancakes.

200g of flour
2 eggs
1 tbsp of butter
1 bottle (0.5 litre) of milk
a piece of pig lard
2 tbsp of sugar
a bit of salt
a glass of jam (any)
butter for brushing ready pancakes
sour cream

Rub together the yolks of the eggs, sugar and salt in a metallic bowl. Add milk and stir thoroughly, pour the melted butter. Stirring continuously, pour the mixture slowly into the bowl with flour, stirring in order to crush the lumps. Before starting frying the pancakes, add eggs whisked to froth.

Heat the frying pan. Brush it with a piece of pig lard. Put some batter on a frying pan, turning it so that batter makes a thin layer. (If you put too much batter on a frying pan, better put it back to the bowl with batter.) Put a frying pan on the fire. As soon as one side of the pancake becomes yellow (and slightly reddish), turn it upside down with a broad knife or a spatula. When the pancake is ready put it on a plate on the top of the previous.

When all the pancakes are fried, put in the middle of each pancake half a teaspoonful of jam, and fold it two times. Put the folded pancakes into a small pot. Sprinkle melted butter on each layer of the pancakes in the pot.Cover with a lid and put into the oven for 10 minutes (immediately before serving). Serve hot mlyntsi with sour cream.