- 4 eggs
- 500g ricotta
- 250ml full cream milk
- 200g plain flour (see tip)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 garlic clove
- 2 courgette
- 200g spinach
- 2 lemon
- 200g smoked salmon
- A handful of tarragon, leaves only
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- Measuring jug
- Electric whisk (optional)
- Medium pan
- Large frying pan
- Baking tray
- 1.
Warm your oven to its lowest setting. Pop 2 large bowls side by side on your work top. Separate the eggs, adding the yolks to one bowl and the whites to the other. Crumble the ricotta into the bowl of yolks and pour in 125ml milk. Beat to combine. Tip in 100g flour and 1 tsp baking powder with a pinch of salt. Fold till smooth, then set aside.
- 2.
Use a manual or electric whisk to beat the egg whites till foamy. Add the beaten whites to the ricotta mixture and gently fold together. This is your hotcake batter. Set to one side.
- 3.
Peel and finely slice the garlic. Trim the courgette and cut it into 1cm chunks. Give the spinach leaves a really good rinse and shake dry. Trim any dry ends and roughly chop the spinach.
- 4.
Warm 1 tbsp olive oil in a medium pan on a medium heat. Add the garlic and courgette. Season with salt and pepper. Fry for 5-6 mins, stirring occasionally, till the courgette has softened slightly. Add the spinach and cook for 3-4 mins to wilt it. Take off the heat and set aside.
- 5.
While the veg cook, warm 1 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan on a medium-high heat. Dollop large spoonfuls of the ricotta batter into the pan. Fry the hotcakes for 2-3 mins on each side, till golden and fluffy. Lay the cooked hotcakes on a baking tray and keep warm on the oven. Repeat with the remaining batter (or see our tip below).
- 6.
Pop the spinach back on the heat and squeeze in the juice from half the lemon. Warm through for 1-2 mins, stirring. Divide the hotcakes between 2 warm plates, top with the spinach and courgettes, and the smoked salmon. Serve garnished with chopped tarragon leaves and wedges of the remaining lemon half for squeezing.
- Tip
A little bonus breakfast
The ricotta batter in this recipe makes a lot of hotcakes, so you may want to only use half. Cover the remaining batter and pop it into the fridge. Fry the hotcakes for breakfast the next day and serve with fresh berries, mint leaves and a drizzle of honey. - Tip
Extra, Extra
The leftover flour and milk can be turned into a white sauce. melt 50g butter in a pan, then stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 mins, then slowly beat in the milk. Simmer for a few mins till thickened. You can flavour it with chopped herbs, grated cheese, diced sun dried tomatoes or warming spices like nutmeg and cayenne. Great for pouring over steam cauliflower or fish fillets and grilling.