A cheap - er, thrifty - person such as myself, who harbors incompatibly expensive tastes, is well-served by the phrase, 'I could just make that.' This is what I said after a gut-splitting, wallet gouging breakfast at Stoneface Dolly's in Ottawa a few months ago. I'd just finished a plate of their Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes, complete with lemon curd and whipped cream, and I knew I'd found a New Favourite Thing. I also knew I couldn't afford to go there every time I got a hankering for those fluffy, fruity, rich pancakes and delectable condiments, especially if I planned on ruining a shirt every single time by splatting butter onto myself like I did on this particular visit.
Watching B eat a breakfast sandwich which, while surely tasty, couldn't have come close to my pancakes, just added to my resolve that I simply had to recreate this breakfast at home, on the cheap, for both of us to enjoy.
Here's what I came up with.
Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes
1 3/4 tsp baking powder
1 3/4 tsp baking soda
a pinch of salt
2 tbsp melted butter
1 2/3 c buttermilk
1 tbsp demerera (or regular) sugar
2 egg whites
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
2 tsp lemon zest
a few handfuls of fresh (or frozen) blueberries
a few handfuls of fresh (or frozen) blueberries
Sift the first four dry ingredients together a large bowl - preferably one with a spout. Add the butter, buttermilk and sugar and mix well. Set aside.
In another bowl, whip the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.
Fold the ricotta and lemon zest into the milk and flour mixture, followed by the egg whites, being careful not to over-mix. Toss in the blueberries and fold once or twice, lightly. You want to keep the batter fluffy.
Cook these guys over medium heat in a buttered or non-stick pan, like any pancake. Serve them with lemon curd (easy recipe here) and maple whipped cream (like regular whipped cream, but sweetened with a splash of maple syrup instead of sugar). If you can't make lemon curd - and really, there is no excuse! - you could settle for a sweet and tangy sauce made out of 1 part maple syrup and one part vanilla yogurt, mixed until completely combined.
