lemon and lemon thyme and lemon ricotta pancakes with blueberries, bacon and a fork

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes shine with Local Strawberries

Kristin was recently honored to be a guest chef on Bella Vida Vineyard’s Well-Fed Wednesday segment.  Each week, owner Steven Whitehead uses his Instagram to share a recipe to accompany his wonderful Willamette Valley Pinot Noir.  But this week, Kristin joined him at the winery to teach everybody her special Lemon Ricotta Pancakes.  These pancakes rely on the whipped egg whites for their fluffiness and loft, rather than baking powder or baking soda.  Kristin shares tips like testing for flipping (because they don’t make “pancake bubbles”), using lemon thyme, and more on the video. And what you didn’t see on the video… they pair well with pinot!

At Chehalem Ridge B&B, we typically serve these pancakes in spring and early summer as the lemoniness of the pancakes goes so well with Oregon Strawberries or Blueberries.  Our gourmet breakfasts focus on the local produce from the Willamette Valley and Kristin’s creativity to bring our guests #breakfastdoneright.  Now you can make Kristin’s Lemon Ricotta Pancakes at home, or make reservations and let Kristin do the cooking for you.

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

1 pint Strawberries
1 tsp Sugar
Lemon Thyme
4 large Eggs, separated
1/2 cup All-purpose Flour
1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
1 cup Ricotta Cheese
3 tablespoons Sugar, divided
1/3 teaspoon Salt
2 teaspoons Lemon Zest

1. Cut up strawberries and place in small bowl. Sprinkle with 1 tsp sugar. Strip the lemon thyme leaves off the stems and crush them with your fingertips as you sprinkle them over the strawberries. Gently toss the strawberries and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, put the egg yolks, flour, oil, ricotta cheese, 1 ½ Tbsp sugar, salt and lemon zest. Set aside.
3. Place egg whites in a small bowl. Beat the egg whites with a handheld mixer until they are foamy. Sprinkle in about 1 ½ Tbsp of sugar and continue whipping until they hold medium peaks. Set aside.
4. Use the same mixer to beat together the egg yolk mixture. Using a spatula, fold in the beaten egg whites gently but thoroughly until there are no white streaks.
5. Preheat a griddle to medium-high heat. Spray the griddle with non-stick spray. Pour 1/4 cup of batter per pancake. Cook about 2-1/2 minutes before checking the underside to make sure it is lightly browned and the pancake is sturdy enough to flip (don’t show any hesitation!). After flipping, cook about 1 minute before removing from the pan.
6. You can keep the pancakes in the oven at 250 degrees until ready to serve (about 5-10 minutes max), but don’t try to reheat later.

Adapted from: The Creative Breakfast by Ellen Klavan

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Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with blueberries and bacon
Kristin's Lemon Ricotta Pancakes are so fluffy and moist, and the lemon thyme in the strawberries - or blueberries - add just the right herbal lemony notes.