Light, airy pancakes made with ricotta and lemon zest, perfect for a leisurely weekend breakfast or brunch.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
03 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
05 - 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
→ Wet Ingredients
06 - 1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
07 - 2 large eggs, separated
08 - 3/4 cup whole milk
09 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
10 - Zest of 2 lemons
11 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
12 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ For Cooking
13 - Unsalted butter or neutral oil, for greasing the pan
→ For Serving (optional)
14 - Fresh berries
15 - Pure maple syrup or honey
16 - Powdered sugar, for dusting
# How-To:
01 - Whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl until evenly distributed.
02 - In a separate large bowl, stir the ricotta with the egg yolks, milk, melted butter, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla until smooth and homogenous.
03 - Fold the dry mixture into the ricotta mixture gently until just combined; avoid overmixing to preserve air and prevent toughness.
04 - Using a clean bowl and whisk or an electric hand mixer, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form and they hold shape but remain glossy.
05 - Fold the whipped egg whites into the batter in two additions with a spatula, using gentle lifts to retain volume and obtain an airy batter.
06 - Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat and lightly coat with butter or oil so the surface is evenly greased.
07 - Ladle approximately 1/4 cup batter per pancake onto the hot surface; cook 2–3 minutes until bubbles appear and edges set, flip and cook 1–2 minutes until golden and cooked through.
08 - Transfer cooked pancakes to a warm plate while finishing remaining batter, re-greasing the pan as necessary between batches.
09 - Serve pancakes warm topped with fresh berries, a drizzle of maple syrup or honey and a light dusting of powdered sugar if desired.
