Raspberry Ricotta Pancakes with Summer Fruit Compotes
Source: Stephanie Rosenbaum, World of Doughnuts
Recipe Type: Breakfast | Seasons: Spring, Summer
This recipe was demonstrated for CUESA’s Market to Table program on June 8, 2013.
Serves 4
Want to dress up your morning meal? These moist, delicate pancakes make an elegant change for the weekend, especially when topped with warmed fruit compote. You can substitute blueberries, blackberries, marionberries, or ollalieberries for the raspberries, and Meyer lemon rind for the orange. Make sure to use an all-natural ricotta cheese, such as Bellwether Jersey or sheep’s milk ricotta. Spoon the fruit compotes (and their stickily delicious juices) over your ricotta pancakes, or use them as a topping for plain or Greek yogurt.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup whole-milk ricotta
3 tablespoons granulated sugar, or to taste
3 eggs, separated
Zest of 1 orange (save juice for the compotes, below)
½ cup flour
2 tablespoons melted butter, plus additional for greasing the griddle
⅔ cup raspberries
PREPARATION
1. In a medium bowl, stir the ricotta, sugar, egg yolks, and orange zest together. Sift in the flour and stir until just combined, then stir in the melted butter.
2. In a separate bowl, using a whisk or hand-held electric mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff. Using a rubber spatula, fold ⅓ of the egg whites into the flour mixture to lighten it. Fold in the remaining egg whites.
3. Heat a griddle or frying pan over medium heat. Lightly grease with butter. When the pan is hot, spoon on heaped tablespoons of batter, to make small cakes about 3 inches in diameter.
4. Fry the cakes for 1½ to 2 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Transfer them to warm plates and serve immediately, topped with compote (see recipes below), additional fresh berries, or jam. Makes approximately 16 pancakes, depending on size.
Rhubarb Compote
INGREDIENTS
1 pound rhubarb (about 4 to 5 stems), trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths
Juice of 1 orange
3 tablespoons mild honey
PREPARATION
1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Place the rhubarb in a small baking dish and drizzle the orange juice and honey over it. Cover tightly with a piece of foil and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the rhubarb is very tender but still keeps its shape.
2. Remove from the oven, uncover, and let cool for 10 minutes before serving. You can also mix some diced fresh strawberries into the warm compote just before serving.
White Peach and Raspberry Compote
INGREDIENTS
4 white peaches, peeled (if desired; dropping the peaches into a saucepan of boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds should loosen the skins enough for easy peeling) and cut into small chunks
½ cup raspberries
2 tablespoons mild honey, or to taste
Juice of 1 orange
PREPARATION
1. Combine peaches, raspberries, honey, and orange juice in a small saucepan. Cook gently over low heat, stirring frequently, until the peaches have softened and are beginning to look translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the raspberries and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes before serving.
