Ricotta Pancakes

Don't tell Deb that I cheated on her and Smitten Kitchen this morning! Deb's never failed me in her many recipes from the blog and her two cooking books, but that didn't stop me from snapping up a hot-off-the-presses Joanna Gaines Magnolia Table cookbook. I have no real defense except that, recipes aside, the book was simply too beautiful not to buy! It's like the kitchen version of a coffee table book - the kind you lay around just to class up the place a little bit. Joanna's cookbook looks just like her decorating style, with clean lines and an understated blend between elegant and down home. Move over New Yorker with the tiny kitchen and let the Texas gal have her time to shine!

There are lots of recipes I've scoped out to try cooking but this is the one I decided to start with. May as well begin with breakfast and then move on from that point, right? Actually, I might've tried Joanna's green tomato sandwich but, alas, there was nary a green tomato to be found in my local grocery. I went to the first week of our seasonal farmer's market last week, anticipating snapping up all kinds of tomatoes but the only vegetable available was asparagus! I know we've had a late winter but that's still a pretty pitiful garden bounty. Hopefully, I'll get there earlier tomorrow and find more fresh produce to snap up. Including green tomatoes.

So, it came down to these ricotta pancakes which are super easy to make. I'm trying to decide what difference the ricotta made and have decided that this tweaked version turns out a bit creamier and denser than the typical pancake. What I could definitely taste was the vanilla flavoring and the butter. All that butter in the pan sure makes the pancake pop with a burst of buttery goodness for every bite.

Joanna says these are best eaten hot, just after cooking. I can attest to how good they are that way but I also froze some and will be experimenting with how easily and quickly I can heat a few up on busy mornings.

Ricotta Pancakes

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups milk
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
2 large eggs
1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
8 Tablespoons salted butter, or as needed, plus more for serving. (I didn't use nearly the whole stick and still got buttery cakes)
Pure maple syrup, for serving

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and baking soda.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, ricotta, eggs, and vanilla until well blended
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined
4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat until hot. Add 2 Tablespoons butter to the hot skillet and swirl the pan to coat with melted butter.
5. Pout the batter about 1/4 cup at a time to form as many pancakes as will fit without crowding. Cook until the tops are covered with bubbles and the edges are crispy brown, about 3 minutes. Then flip and cook for 2-3 minutes on the other side, until browned on the bottom.