Ricotta pancakes with blackberry butter sauce

I love Sunday brunch! Of all the countries I’ve lived in and places
I’ve travelled to, my favourite Sunday brunch was close to home a
joint less that a mile from where I grew up. What made this outing
such an event was its home-style approach big omlettes, filled with
all your heart’s desires, with a pile of the best home-made fried
potatoes with onions that you have ever tasted, served sizzling and
piping hot in the very pan it was cooked in.
Their pancakes were equally spectacular and also served from the
frying pan. There was a choice of a delicious blackberry or
blueberry butter, although I liked them plain with maple syrup and
whipped cream. So what was the secret ingredient that drew in the
locals and forced them to queue up for what seemed like an
eternity? Ricotta cheese! And to add a twist, served with
blackberry butter!

Blackberry Butter:

150g Blackberries (Blueberries or strawberries can be substituted)
2 tablespoons Lemon juice
3 tablespoons Golden caster sugar
75g Unsalted butter, softened

Ricotta Pancakes:

250g Ricotta
125ml Whole milk
3 large eggs, separated
100g Plain flour
3 tablespoons Caster sugar
1 teaspoon Baking powder
25g Butter

To make the Blackberry Butter:

Gently heat the berries, lemon juice and sugar in a small pan for 6-7 minutes until the blackberries soften. Remove from the heat and let it cool for 15 minutes. Whip the butter with an electric beater until light and fluffy. Once the blackberry compote is cool, beat it into the butter so that it forms purple ripples. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

To make the Ricotta Pancakes:

Place the ricotta, milk and egg yolks in a mixing bowl and beat to combine. Add the flour, sugar, baking powder and a pinch of salt and fold in to make a smooth batter. In another bowl, beat the egg whites until they’re softly peaking, then fold into the mixture. Heat the butter in a heavy based frying pan over a medium heat and pour the batter into the pan (whatever size you desire) to form pancakes. Cook for 1 - 2 minutes on each side or until golden and cooked through. As you make them, keep the pancakes warm on a baking tray in the oven.

Serve with either blackberry butter melting over the top, or plain and simple with maple syrup.