Contributed By Marissa Bognanno, Professional Chef and Zumba Instructor, and Author of THE BOOT BLOG
It was an idyllic morning. Caffè latte and NPR podcast episodes followed by a quick little jaunt to my local market that is, quite literally, a room. A whole family works there, joking with customers all day long and gossiping about the neighborhood. The ricotta and fresh eggs came to a whopping two euro and I skipped home, absolutely dying to make these lemon ricotta pancakes. Well. That’s where the idealism ends. They were a disaster. After three failed flips and a taste of a very eggy pancake, I exclaimed out loud, “NO YOU DID-N’T!” Because I forgot about the flour. Happens to the best of us right? I dropped the missing half cup into the batter and breathed a “phew” of relief when I finally got a normal flip. They were delicious in the end, but I can’t help but feel that these babies were tainted with too great of expectations.
Pancake recipe: Gourmet's Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
Taste: Lemony but not too overpowering.
Texture: Very fluffy and very light.
Esthetics: Golden and puffy and yellow.
Manageability: Moderately easy to put together, slightly difficult to flip due to their lightness.
Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
4 large eggs, separated
1 1/3 cups ricotta
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
melted butter for brushing the griddle
In a bowl whisk together the egg yolks, the ricotta, the sugar, and the zest, add the flour, and stir the mixture until it is just combined. In a bowl with an electric mixer beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they hold stiff peaks, whisk about one fourth of them into the ricotta mixture, and fold in the remaining whites gently but thoroughly. Heat a griddle over moderately high heat until it is hot enough to make drops of water scatter over its surface and brush it with some of the melted butter. Working in batches, pour the batter onto the griddle by 1/4-cup measures and cook the pancakes for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, or until they are golden, brushing the griddle with some of the melted butter as necessary. Transfer the pancakes as they are cooked to a heatproof platter and keep them warm in a preheated 200°F. oven.
Albeit not my favorite, these would be really nice for a summery brunch, maybe with a lemon berry compote to spread on top, instead of syrup which would overpower their lightness. Parts one and two of the challenge here!
One last thing - I installed a new commenting platform (fancy) so that I can reply to your comments here instead of through email. I figured it would be a better way for all of us to interact! Have a great Monday!
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