Lemon Ricotta Pancakes [VIDEO + RECIPE]

That stereotypical ritual of the man making breakfast for the wife once a year on Mothers Day kind of falls apart in a home where the husband is the family cook.   I made Naomi breakfast the Sunday before Mothers Day too, and the Sunday before that.   And every Sunday of every year that we’ve been home. Making these pancakes still made this Mothers Day different from all others.

The week before  Naomi was in New York. She came home raving about the Lemon Ricotta Pancakes at Café Luxembourg on the Upper West Side. When I asked her what she wanted for brunch on Mothers Day, she said Lemon Ricotta Pancakes. I made my version of them for her, adapting a recipe from pintsizedbaker.com. Two days later, I made them again, for dinner. This coming Sunday? I might make them again.

[RECIPE] Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce

Adapted from PintSizedBaker.com

INGREDIENTS

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for coating the frying pan and serving
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs, yolks and whites separated
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 ½ tablespoons packed finely grated lemon zest (from about 3 to 4 medium lemons)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
• Powdered sugar,
  • Blueberry Sauce

INSTRUCTIONS

• Place butter and milk in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until butter has melted; remove from heat and let cool slightly.
• 
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt; set aside.
• Place egg yolks, 1 tablespoon of the sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Whisk in a quarter of the milk-butter mixture (this will temper the eggs and prevent them from curdling), then whisk in the remaining milk-butter mixture until smooth.
• Add the reserved flour mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined (do not overmix); set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk egg whites to soft peaks (they should bend like soft-serve ice cream; make sure the bowl and whisk are perfectly clean with no traces of grease, or the whites will not whip properly). Halfway through whisking them, sprinkle in the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Using the rubber spatula, fold the whites into the reserved batter until just combined.
• Gently fold the ricotta into the batter, being careful not to break down the texture of the cheese (the batter will be lumpy and streaked with ricotta); set aside.
• Heat a large nonstick frying pan, griddle, or seasoned cast iron skillet over medium heat until hot, about 4 minutes. Test to see if the pan is hot enough by sprinkling a couple of drops of cold water in it: If the water bounces and sputters, the pan is ready to use.
• Lightly coat the pan’s surface with butter, then use a 1/4-cup measure to scoop the batter into the pan. Cook until bubbles form on top of the pancakes, about 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until the bottoms are golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes more. Repeat with the remaining batter. Serve immediately with powdered sugar and blueberry sauce.

Blueberry Sauce

INGREDIENTS

3 cups fresh blueberries

1 T. sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

First, taste the blueberries.  If they are sweet, stick to a tablespoon of sugar. If they are tart, add more.

Put blueberries and sugar in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-high flame until the berries begin to pop and melt. You can speed the process by crushing them with a potato masher or heavy spoon. Bring to boil then lower heat and simmer until saucy but still fresh, about 10 minutes.

Let cool slightly. You can make ahead and refrigerate, covered, for a thicker sauce.