Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

These are the most amazing pancakes!!! Definitely another keeper for our growing pancake collection. I love the lemon-strawberry combination. I seriously think I might have to make these my birthday pancakes from now on (which means my hubby better start practicing...:). Maybe they taste a little bit more like a dessert than a regular pancake, and they take a few extra minutes to prepare, but I promise they are oh-so-worth it!

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

Submitted by Amy ~ The Sisters Cafe

PANCAKES:
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 t. salt, plus a pinch for egg whites
1 heaping teaspoon baking powder
4 eggs, separated
1 heaping cup ricotta cheese
3/4 cup milk
2 Meyer lemons, zested and juiced
butter, for cooking the pancakes-optional
Powdered sugar, for dusting

STRAWBERRY COULIS:
1 quart strawberries, topped and quartered
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup orange juice

Toss the strawberries with the sugar and orange juice. Cover and let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

After the berries and sugar have macerated and become very juicy, remove 1/2 of the berry mixture, put it in a food processor and puree until smooth. Return it to the rest of the berries and reserve until ready to use.

Sift together all of the dry ingredients for the pancakes in a large bowl. In another bowl, combine the egg yolks, ricotta cheese, milk and lemon zest and juice, and mix until it becomes homogeneous. Make a well in the dry ingredients, add the wet ingredients to the well and whisk until combined.

Preheat a griddle.

In another bowl, using a whisk or electric mixer, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt to stiff peaks. Fold the egg whites into the flour mixture in thirds. Do this quickly and gently so the pancakes will be light and fluffy.

Melt small pats of butter onto the preheated griddle, and spread it around with a paper towel to remove any excess butter. (I usually just use non-stick cooking spray, but it's up to you:) Spoon or ladle the pancake batter onto the prepared griddle to desired size of the pancake. When the top of the pancake is full of holes, like bubbles have risen to the surface and burst, the pancake is ready to flip. Flip the pancakes and cook until the bottom is golden brown.

Remove the pancakes from the grill to serving plates. Top with the macerated strawberry coulis and garnish with powdered sugar.