Ricotta Hotcakes with Strawberries & Maple Syrup

Makes 24 / Ready in 30 minutes

Try these for a festive brunch - the lightness of fluffy ricotta hotcakes, strawberries and maple syrup makes them memorable.

Photo: Shared Kitchen

Ingredients

• 4 large (size 7) free-range eggs
• 200g ricotta
• pinch of salt
• finely grated zest 1 lemon
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 5 level Tbsp standard flour
• 2 Tbsp caster sugar
• 250g strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 1 Tbsp icing sugar
• sliced banana, maple syrup, cream or yoghurt, to serve

Method

Separate eggs, putting whites in a grease-free bowl. Put egg yolks in a large bowl and beat with a wooden spoon until smooth and liquid. Beat in ricotta, salt and lemon zest. Pour in melted butter, then work in flour.

Whisk egg whites until stiff peaks form, then beat in sugar and continue beating for 2-3 minutes until glossy. Using a large spoon, mix 1 large spoonful of whipped egg whites into the ricotta mixture, then carefully fold in the rest.

Heat a lightly buttered non-stick frying pan over gentle heat, or preheat a lightly greased barbecue hot plate. Working in batches, drop spoonfuls of batter onto hot pan or hot plate, making hotcakes about 6cm in diameter. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until golden, then flip and cook the other side. Transfer to a cake rack as they are done and cover with a clean tea towel.

Mix strawberries with icing sugar. Serve the hotcakes with strawberries, banana, maple syrup and cream or yoghurt.