Ricotta Hotcakes with Maple Butter

Ricotta Hotcakes

• 2 cups ricotta
• 1/2 cup milk
• 4 eggs, separated
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• butter for the pan
• blueberries, for serving

Maple Butter

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup maple syrup (I prefer grade B, but it's up to you)
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (or to taste)

1. Make the maple butter first: dump the softened butter into a bowl, add the maple syrup, and mash together thoroughly with a fork. Add the almond extract and continue mixing until everything is combined. Scrape into a small bowl and set aside or refrigerate if not using within the hour.
2. Onto the hotcakes: Whisk together the ricotta, milk, egg yolks, and sugar. Sprinkle over with the flour, baking powder, and salt, and mix until just combined. Stir in the lemon zest.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites for as long as your forearms will let you, through the foamy stage until they start to form peaks (you can use a mixer for this, but for me, breakfast and electronics don't mix). Gently fold the egg whites into the ricotta mixture. Add a little milk if the batter looks dry - this will depend largely on the quality and freshness of your ricotta.
4. Melt a knob of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Plop in about two tablespoons of batter per hotcake and cook for two minutes, until the undersides are golden, adjusting the heat as necessary. Flip and cook another two minutes or so, until cooked through, and remove to a plate. Continue until you have a pile of hotcakes. Serve with a dollop of maple butter and a handful of blueberries.