Ricotta Pancake

This is a slight different version of our regular buttermilk pancake.  It is fluffy with a slight hint of ricotta cheese. Ricotta cheese adds both lightness and richness to the pancakes, giving them a more tender texture and a slightly richer flavor than plain pancake batter. You can use any variety of ricotta cheese. Low fat and full fat tend to give the best results, but even a fat free ricotta will work well. But ricotta isn’t the only secret to these pancakes. The eggs are separated before going into the batter and the whites are beaten to soft peaks. This adds a lot of air and keeps the pancakes soft and fluffy.

Ingredients

1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
4 eggs, separated
1 tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cup ricotta
3/4 cup milk
1 tbsp sugar

Method

• In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
• In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks, melted butter, vanilla extract, ricotta cheese and milk until smooth. Add in flour mixture and whisk until just combined and no streaks of dry ingredients remain.
• In a medium bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks, beating in the sugar as the egg whites become foamy. Fold into ricotta mixture.
• Heat a griddle or skillet (nonstick or lightly greased) over medium-high heat until a drop of water placed on the surface skitters around (if it evaporates instantly, reduce heat slightly).
• Drop batter in 1/4 cup dollops and cook until golden on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Serve immediately, with butter and maple syrup.