Over the past year or so ricotta has transitioned away from being something I use only in lasagna or stuffed shells to being a favorite baking ingredient. Ricotta is an essential ingredient in Nonna’s Lemon-Ricotta Muffins and these Mini Ricotta Doughnuts with Bittersweet Chocolate and Salted Caramel Dipping Sauces, magically keeping things light and moist.
And they do the exact same thing here. You know those pancakes that are so starchy and dry that you need a heavy dose of syrup to avoid cotton mouth? Not a problem here.
A bit of lemon zest adds a nice, subtle lemon flavor. I paired the pancakes with sliced strawberries, but fresh blueberries or homemade blueberry jam or syrup would also be an excellent match as well.
Lemon-Ricotta Pancakes with Fresh Strawberries
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
* 2/3 cup superfine rice flour
* 2/3 cup potato starch
* 1/4 cup tapioca starch
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1-1/2 cups buttermilk
* 2 eggs, separated
* 1/4 cup sugar
* 3/4 cup ricotta cheese
* zest from one lemon
* butter for frying
* pint strawberries, sliced
Directions:
In a large bowl whisk together the rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl combine the buttermilk, egg yolks, sugar, ricotta, and lemon zest. Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until just blended.
Beat the eggs whites until they reach soft peaks. Gently fold the whites into the prepared mixture.
Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Melt a pat of butter over the surface and ladle the batter onto the pan. Cook until bubbles appear and the edges have dried out a bit. Flip the pancakes over and cook until golden.
Transfer to a plate and top with sliced strawberries. Repeat with the remaining batter.