Welcome to a delightful culinary fusion where Italian comfort food meets an Eastern European classic! This Crepe Lasagna, or "Blinnaya Lazanya" as it might be called, is a creative and incredibly satisfying twist on the traditional dish. Instead of pasta, we use delicate, savory crepes, known as bliny, which are a staple in many Slavic kitchens. These thin pancakes are wonderfully versatile, often served with sweet fillings for dessert or savory ones for a main course. Here, they form the tender layers of a hearty, cheesy, and flavorful bake that will warm your soul. It's the perfect recipe for a cozy family dinner and a fantastic way to experience familiar ingredients in a new and exciting way.
Crepe lasagna with minced meat.
Ingredients for the Crepes
- 400 ml milk
- 3 large eggs
- 160 g all-purpose flour
- 15 g vegetable oil
- salt, baking soda, sugar, oil for frying
Ingredients for the Lasagna Filling
- 100 g onion
- 80 g carrots
- 250 g ground meat (pork and beef mix recommended)
- 100 g bell pepper
- 25 g tomato paste
- 100 g smetana (or full-fat sour cream)
- 300 ml chicken broth
- 80 g cheese (e.g., mozzarella or cheddar)
- a few sprigs of parsley
- vegetable oil, thyme, salt, pepper
How to Make Crepe Lasagna with Minced Meat
Making the crepe batter.
Frying thin crepes on a well-heated pan greased with refined vegetable oil.
Preparing the filling.
First, let’s make the crepe batter. In a bowl, crack the eggs, add 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda. Whisk together. Then, gradually add the all-purpose flour and pour in the slightly warm milk. Finally, add the vegetable oil. You can also place all the ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth.
Let the batter rest for about half an hour. Fry thin crepes on a well-heated pan greased with refined vegetable oil. The specified ingredients will yield 10-12 thin crepes.
Now, prepare the filling. Finely dice the onion. Pour 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil into a deep skillet and add the chopped onion. Sprinkle with salt and dried thyme. Sauté for 5 minutes over medium heat.
Adding grated carrots and 2 tablespoons of chopped herbs to the sauce.
Finely chop the parsley. Grate the carrots on a coarse grater. Add the grated carrots and 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley to the skillet. Sauté everything together for 5 minutes.
Adding chilled homemade ground meat to the fried vegetables.
Adding chopped pepper to the sauce.
Adding tomato paste or pureed tomatoes.
Add the chilled ground meat (a mix of pork and beef) to the sautéed vegetables. Cook the meat over medium heat, breaking it up with a spatula to prevent large clumps from forming.
Finely dice the sweet bell pepper. Add the chopped pepper to the sauce.
Add the tomato paste or pureed tomatoes.
Simmering the sauce over low heat for 25 minutes.
Pour in the chicken or meat broth. Season with salt, ground black pepper, and red pepper to taste. You can add a little sugar to balance the acidity of the tomato paste. Simmer the sauce over low heat for 25 minutes.
2-3 minutes before the sauce is ready, add smetana or heavy cream.
Placing the first crepe at the bottom of the dish.
Putting a few spoonfuls of sauce on the crepe.
About 2-3 minutes before the sauce is done, stir in the smetana (a type of sour cream, you can substitute with full-fat sour cream) or heavy cream. Mix, heat through, and remove from the heat.
Assemble the lasagna. Grease the bottom and sides of a deep oven-safe dish with vegetable oil. Place the first crepe at the bottom of the dish.
Spread a few spoonfuls of the sauce over the crepe. Then, grate cheese over it using a fine grater; a tablespoon of grated cheese per layer is sufficient.
Assembling the entire lasagna this way.
Continue layering in this manner to assemble the entire lasagna. Generously sprinkle the top crepe with grated cheese.
Placing the dish, covered with foil, in the middle of the preheated oven.
Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Place the dish, covered with foil, in the middle of the preheated oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
And there you have it—a beautiful, golden-brown Crepe Lasagna ready to be enjoyed! Let it rest for a few minutes before slicing, which will help the layers set. This dish is wonderfully rich on its own but pairs beautifully with a simple green salad dressed with a light vinaigrette to cut through the richness. It's also a fantastic make-ahead meal; you can assemble it in advance and bake it just before serving. We hope this unique recipe brings a touch of creative comfort to your table and inspires you to experiment with other culinary fusions. Enjoy every cheesy, savory bite!
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