Who doesn’t love having some sweet or savoury pancakes for breakfast or brunch? And is there really anybody who doesn’t like cheese in a meal? The problem, however, is that if you’re expecting to combine cheese and pancakes together then the result may be a weird mixture of sweet and salty. This is the reason why most of us end up having either a cheesy, savoury pancake or a sweet one for brunch—unless you’re craving both and are ready to feel overloaded until dinnertime! The answer to your search for a cheesy yet sweet pancake is here: make some Ricotta Pancakes!
Ricotta is an Italian-origin cheese made from the whey of sheep’s milk cheese. Experts believe that Ricotta was first produced by shepherds in the Bronze Age. But because it has a short shelf life and was likely eaten by nobody but the shepherds, Ricotta didn’t make it to the list of most popular cheeses until recently. Yes, it is protein-packed, but unlike other cheeses, it isn’t salty. In fact, it has quite the neutral taste and thin texture—which makes it the perfect cheese for both sweet and savoury dishes. It also blends really easily with a pancake batter, thanks to its texture, which is an added blessing as you’re likely to get the taste of Ricotta throughout.
Another reason why making a Ricotta Pancake is a good idea is that the cheese tastes light, and when cooked it doesn’t turn a dish too rich. This works perfectly for any meal, but particularly for breakfast and brunch as you won’t come out of it feeling too heavy and lethargic. Ricotta Pancakes are easy to whip up at home, and all you need are a few choice ingredients. Here’s the recipe.
Ingredients:
1 cup refined flour, sifted
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1/5 cup ricotta cheese
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
¾ cup milk
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp lemon zest
1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Unsalted butter, for frying
Method:
1. Place the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl. Mix them well.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk the milk, ricotta, eggs, vanilla extract, butter and lemon zest together.
3. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture, and pour in the milk mixture while whisking.
4. Whisk the batter until the ingredients are combined, but don’t over whisk it.
5. Heat a gridle or cast-iron pan and brush some butter on it.
6. Pour a ladle of the batter on the pan and cook until bubbles appear on the surface and the bottom starts turning brown.
7. Flip the Ricotta Pancake and cook until the other side turns brown too. Follow these steps with the remaining batter to make more Ricotta Pancakes.
8. Serve the pancakes hot, with a drizzle of syrup and fruits of your choice.