Add a teaspoon of oil, and pour in a ¼ cup of the the batter, tilting the pan to spread it thinly and evenly. The blintz should start cooking immediately! When the edges of the blintzes curl, use a thin spatula to flip it.
Blinis are similar to a crepe that is thick, slightly chewy and has a gorgeous lacy appearance from the yeast in the batter. Mix 2 cups of warm (under 90F) milk with 1 Tbsp of sugar, and 1/2 tsp of yeast and allow to sit for about 10 minutes. Then, add 1 egg and 1 1/2 cups of flour and 1/2 tsp of salt.
This is my mother's long-standing, tried-and-true traditional Russian blintzes recipe. It uses butter and eggs and white flour and a bit of sugar, and it's perfect just the way it is. And if you aren't suffering from any food sensitivities, you really should try it the way my family has been making it for generations.
As you can see, the ingredients for blini are easy to find and likely items you already have in your cupboard. Mix together warm milk, sugar, and yeast and let sit for 10 minutes. Add in the egg, flour, and salt and whisk until smooth. Cover the bowl and allow the yeast to proof. Preheat a skillet until appropriately warm, and add butter to it.