Ricotta Pancakes

Is there any better way to start the weekend than with decadent yet light-on-the-tongue blueberry pancakes? If you answered an enthusiastic "no!," then you're in for a treat (and let's be friends 8p). I confess, I knew little about Bill Granger before other than a vague recognition of his name. But if ricotta hotcakes are anything to judge a man by, we need to get up close and personal!

This recipe came together fairly quickly. Beating the egg whites separately is probably the fussiest part, but turns out to be pretty easy with a handheld mixer. It's also crucial to the result, since it's what makes these pancakes so fluffy. On the other hand, the cuppa ricotta and 4 egg yolks in the batter lends these a silky richness. With a generous pat of butter and blanket of maple syrup, these are pretty darn perfect.

Now I'd love to know, what breakfast treat lures you out of bed on a Saturday morning?

Bill Granger’s Ricotta Hotcakes [Printable Recipe]
Adapted from Bill Granger via Bread and Butter

1 cup ricotta cheese (I used part-skim with no problems)
3/4 cup milk
4 large eggs, separated
1 1/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
A dash of salt
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon baking powder
1-2 cups blueberries or other berries, if desired, for pancakes and garnish
Butter or neutral-tasting oil to grease the pan

Pour milk into mixing bowl, and add egg yolks. Mix till just combined. Add flour, baking powder and salt and mix. Add lemon zest and mix.

Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry peaks form, and gently fold through batter, leaving some streaks of white. Lastly, add ricotta and mix gently. (Take care to not overmix as you want to have chunky bits of ricotta to bite into later on!)

Heat a non-stick or cast iron pan or griddle over medium heat, then grease lightly with butter or oil. (I tend to use a small dollop, and then wipe the excess off with a kitchen towel so it doesn’t get overly greasy.)

Pour 1/2 cup of batter (per hotcake) into the pan. Sprinkle a few berries onto the batter, if using. Cook on one side until little bubbles appear (~2 minutes), flip over, and cook on the other side for about 1 minute. (You can keep cooked hotcakes warm in a low heat oven as you fry up the rest.)

Serve with a generous sprinkle of icing sugar, maple syrup, and/or whatever fruits you like.