Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
There are two types of people in this world: savory breakfast people and sweet breakfast people. And I am for sure a savory breakfast person, hands down. Give me ALL the eggs Benedict, biscuits and gravy, a good hash, eggs and bacon and I’m a happy camper.
But when the mood strikes, I just can’t pass up a good pancake. Of course I love me some standard pancakes with maple syrup and butter. But if you’ve ever had a lemon ricotta pancake, then you are seriously missing out!
Unlike your average pancakes which are delightfully dense and a bit more “plain”, if you will, for soaking up lots of gooey syrup, my lemon ricotta pancakes are perfectly sweet, bright and pillow-like. The ricotta makes them creamy and reminiscent of cheesecake (cheesecake for BREAKFAST - you heard right!) The pop of lemon zest makes them bright, cheery and the perfect way to start your weekend. Finished off with a super easy blueberry compote, they are not only delicious but gorgeous looking!
Whether you’re a savory or breakfast person, there’s no getting around the fact that these are downright delicious.
Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
Ingredients
1/2 cup 2% milk or buttermilk
1 cup ricotta
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
Vegetable oil for cooking....or bacon grease if you're like us and you also are making bacon with these hot cakes which I highly recommend
Serve with real (and only real) maple syrup or blueberry compote
Blueberry Compote
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
Directions
Whisk together milk, ricotta, melted butter, eggs and vanilla in a medium bowl. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar together in a separate bowl. Add dry mixture and lemon zest to wet mixture and whisk until no dry flour remains. As Kenzi Alt-Lopez says in The Food Lab, "the mixture should remain lumpy - be careful not to overmix."
Heat vegetable oil or bacon grease (come on, just go with the bacon grease, I dare ya) in a nostick skillet over medium-high heat. Use a 1/4-cup dry measurer to scoop 3 pancakes into the pan and cook on the first side until bubbles start to appear on top and the bottoms are golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the pancakes and cook until the second side is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Serve the pancakes immediately or keep warm in the oven while you cook the remaining batches. Serve with maple syrup or blueberry compote.
Blueberry compote: Disolve sugar and water together in a medium saucepan. Add lemon zest and bring to a boil. Add blueberries and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 3-5 minutes, until blueberries start to soften and burst. Let cool and serve.
