lemon ricotta pancakes

I have been wanting to tell you about these pancakes for a long time.  So very good, they have worked their way into being a regular at our brunch table.  I am pretty sure you would like to try them too; The ricotta makes them tender, the lemon bright and fresh and I make them only slightly sweet.  Topped with fresh fruit or a fruit compote they are really divine.  I just don't know why I waited so long. 

  Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

feeds two hungry people

3 eggs, separated

3/4 c. ricotta (fresh, if you can swing it)

1 c. milk

zest and juice of 3 medium lemons

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/4c. AP flour 

(although, I use oat flour with great success)

1/4 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat a griddle to 350F.

Whip egg white until soft peaks form.  Set aside. 

Combine dry ingredients.  Set aside. 

Combine egg yolk, milk, ricotta, lemon juice and zest, and vanilla.  

Stir dry ingredients into ricotta mixture.

Fold in egg whites. 

Spoon batter onto hot griddle and let cook for about 1 minute, or until evenly browned on the bottom. 

Flip pancake and let bake until evenly browned, about 30 seconds. 

Serve with your favorite toppings.  Surprise, surprise, we love figs that have been quartered and sauteed with a little sugar and a pat of butter.  Then we top with some fig syrup from those preserves.  

Tricks and Tips:

To make your own fresh ricotta, bring a half gallon of unpasteurized whole milk to a low simmer in a heavy bottomed pan.  Add 1 T salt and 1 T cider vinegar and stir until curds begin to form.  Remove from heat and let rest to separate the curds from the whey.  Spoon curds into a cheesecloth-lined strainer (first dampen the cheesecloth and squeeze out extra water, for best results).  Let strain for an hour or two, depending on the dryness of the ricotta you prefer.  I sometimes eat it immediately after spooning into the strainer! Store refrigerated for up to a week, if you can make it last that long!

When you combine the baking soda with lemon juice as you combine the liquids and dries in this recipe, the batter will foam up.  The protein foam in the egg whites will help hold the foam for a little while, but try to griddle your pancakes as soon as you can after mixing.  This will give you the lightest pancakes possible.

We discovered during our century ride that you could make the pancakes the night before, layer them between waxed paper or parchment, and freeze overnight.  In the morning, just pop them into a 350F oven in even layers and rewarm the whole batch.  This way you don't need to work away griddling pancakes all morning.  The pancakes 'deflate' a little, making them a little less light and fluffy, but they are still delicious.