cooking-confessions:

Fluffy Ricotta Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• pinch salt
• 3/4 cup milk
• 3 eggs, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Set ricotta in a fine mesh strainer about 30 minutes before you start cooking, to drain off excess liquid. We used fresh ricotta from Whole Foods that was pretty dry. If you are using a commercial brand that’s runny, you may want to drain it longer (or make your own).
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a bowl. 
3. Combine ricotta, milk, egg yolks, and vanilla in a separate bowl. 
4. Beat the egg whites in an electric mixer until stiff.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the ricotta and milk mixture, stirring gently until just combined.
6. Whisk in a small amount of the egg whites to lighten the batter, then fold in the remaining whites.
7. Heat a griddle over medium-high heat, and brush the surface with butter. Use a ladle or measuring scoop (we used a 1/3 cup measure) to pour batter onto the griddle.
8. Cook pancakes for about 3 or 4 minutes, then flip, cooking until both sides are golden brown.
9. Spread lemon curd between pancakes and dust with powdered sugar. Or serve with syrup or fruit.