Ricotta Cheese

The more I cook with ricotta, the more I am liking the rich and superb flavor that it adds to a dish.

The secret to the lightness of these pancakes is the addition of the ricotta cheese.

I’ve never been a huge fan of Blueberry Pancakes but I loved these.

Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberries

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

3 large eggs, separated

1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons milk

6 ounces ricotta cheese (1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons)

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Unsalted butter, for the griddle

1 pint fresh blueberries or 2 cups frozen blueberries, thawed

Pure maple syrup, for serving

In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the milk, ricotta, sugar and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and whisk until the batter is smooth.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites at medium speed until frothy. Beat at high speed until soft peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the batter until no streaks remain.

Preheat the oven to 225°. Heat a griddle, then lightly butter it. For each pancake, ladle a scant 1/4 cup of the batter onto the griddle; be sure to leave enough space between the pancakes. Cook over moderately low heat until the bottoms are golden and the pancakes are just beginning to set, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle each pancake with a few blueberries and press lightly. Flip the pancakes and cook until golden on the bottom and cooked through, about 1 minute longer. Transfer the pancakes to plates and keep them warm in the oven while you make the rest. Serve the pancakes with maple syrup.

Note on Spinach With Ricotta:

I stopped in my meat market, The Daily Grind, and Rick tried to talk me into getting a pork dish with creamed spinach. When I proclaimed that I hated creamed spinach (I love spinach but creamed spinach has always been another story) he set a sample in front of me. WOW…it didn’t even taste like creamed spinach - it was delicious. Seems that he made it with Rocotta cheese, tomato and garlic.

I’ll have to experiment and when I have a recipe for it, I’ll post it.

If you happen to have one send it to me.

Bon Appetit!