mlyntsi - ukrainian crêpes

This is the dish that I must have made a million times. Each time, however, the recipe varies because I tend to feel confident that I can just swing it. And sometimes I can, but sometimes I remember why I should follow the recipe, even if it's the one I developed myself.

Traditionally these Ukrainian crêpes are made with eggs that allow for the elastic batter and the pancakes that then hold together well and don't fall apart. In this recipe, however, I have found a perfect vegan substitute - the magical aquafaba.

It took me a while to actually realize that I could use it here. And I think it speaks to the fact that basically, it is very important, and probably crucial in veganism to open your mind to new possibilities. Because that's what veganism offers - a whole world of new possibilities, one just has to see them.

I cannot express how happy and proud it makes me that I am now able to make this classic that I have always loved completely cruelty-free. And now you can too!

Tips and notes:

This recipe allows for trial and error. In Ukraine, people say that the first pancake never turns out right.
What you want is to have a flowing, liquid batter but it shouldn't be too transparent like water.
Make sure to heat your frying pan before putting the batter on it. Otherwise, it will take a long time to cook the first pancake and it will not turn out as it should. In fact, this is my most common mistake, I should know!
Don't forget to add frying oil to the batter. In order to get nice and fat pancakes you need some oil. If you add the oil directly into the pan then the first pancake will absorb too much oil and the rest will be dry. This is why you should add the oil directly into the batter.
Use any jam or spread, such as vegan nutella to enjoy the mlyntsi.
Aquafaba in this recipe makes sure that the pancakes do not fall apart and turn out nice and fluffy. In case you don't have aquafaba then omit it but use oat milk instead of water.

Vegan Mlyntsi - Ukrainian Crêpes

Ingredients

330 grams flour

500 milliliters water

6 tablespoons vegetable oil, such as sunflower

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

80 milliliters aquafaba

jam of your liking

Instructions

1. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Add the water slowly and mix the dough as you do it to avoid lumps.

2. Preheat a large frying pan.

3. Once the frying pan is hot use a ladle to dollop batter onto it. Take the pan by the handle, lift it, and tilt and swirl it in the air so that the dough naturally flows and takes up space along the whole surface of the pan. Set the pan back down and wait until the edges of the pancake turn brownish. Now, using a spatula flip the pancake over and fry the other side as well. Both sides should have visible brown spots on them. Place the pancake onto a large flat plate.

4. Repeat with the rest of the dough and stack all the pancakes on top of each other. Lastly, take some jam and spread it along the pancakes, and roll them up into cigars. Enjoy as dessert!