Recipe of the Week: Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Sauteed Apples

(Ahhh… Heaven on a plate)

As the rest of the country warms up for Spring, LA is unseasonably dark and stormy; buckets of rain are drenching the flowers on my balcony as I write this. With this in mind, I thought a warm, delicious breakfast item might be the perfect first Recipe of the Week post.  Try not to drool while imagining the light, fluffy lemon and ricotta mixing with the warm, buttery apples in your mouth.  Impossible.

This recipe, originally from a ’91 Gourmet Magazine, was resurrected on the site  Smitten Kitchen (one of the BEST food blogs around).  Upon viewing this recipe, I knew I had to make ’em.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

INGREDIENTS:

For the sautéed apples

For the pancakes

~Maple syrup as an accompaniment

PREPARATIONS:

Prepare the sautéed apples:

In a large heavy skillet sauté the apples in the butter over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until they are softened, sprinkle them with the sugar and the cinnamon, and cook them over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 10 minutes, or until they are tender. Stir in the lemon juice and keep the mixture warm.

Make the pancakes:

In a bowl whisk together the egg yolks, the ricotta, the sugar, and the zest, add the flour, and stir the mixture until it is just combined. In a bowl with an electric mixer beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they hold stiff peaks, whisk about one fourth of them into the ricotta mixture, and fold in the remaining whites gently but thoroughly. Heat a griddle over moderately high heat until it is hot enough to make drops of water scatter over its surface and brush it with some of the melted butter. Working in batches, pour the batter onto the griddle by 1/4-cup measures and cook the pancakes for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, or until they are golden, brushing the griddle with some of the melted butter as necessary. Transfer the pancakes as they are cooked to a heatproof platter and keep them warm in a preheated 200°F. oven.

Serve the pancakes with the sautéed apples and the maple syrup.

~Makes about twelve 3- to 4-inch pancakes