Almond Milk and Spelt Ricotta Pancakes with Maraschino Laced Cherries
I’m a sucker for cherries, so I’m in heaven that there are plump and juicy varieties in all of the supermarkets and farmers markets right now. Not that it stops me when they’re not in season, I turn to cocktails instead, demanding a cocktail cherry, not only in my Manhattans (double dosing on beauties from the Manhattans Project) and Martinez’s but all heathen-like in Negronis and martinis too; my cherry love knows no bounds. Perhaps in part due to their saucy connotations, there’s something rather seductive about a cherry pie or tart, even a simple dish of cherries and cream. Something titilating about plucking one of those pert, dark and juicy orbs from a virgin white plate. Another thing about tongues and cherry stalks.
I made little cherry and ricotta boreka pies a few weeks ago, but this time I fancied something for brunch, since I found myself working at home and stalking the kitchen as I’m known to when procrastinating. For some reason I’ve been craving ricotta pancakes. Odd, as I never fancy, or indeed eat, pancakes. But the craving has been persistent all week and so Friday lunchtime I gave in. All plain flour would have given a fluffier pancake but I love the nutty flavour of spelt, sweetened with almond rather than regular milk and yoghurt to serve for a sour contrast. With the addition of cherries and maraschino, and mahlep in the pancake to boost almond flavours further, I can’t help thinking of the classic dessert, Bakewell tart.
Serves 1, heartily (I pinched the basics of the recipe from good old Nigella)
- 100g ricotta
- 50g almond milk (The Pressery’s is raw and utterly delicious)
- 30g wholemeal spelt flour
- 20g plain flour
- 1 large egg
- half a teaspoon baking powder
- pinch of salt
- teaspoon of mahlep powder
- oil for frying
- ripe cherries
- sugar
- maraschino liqueur
- Greek full fat yoghurt to serve
Separate the egg, then in a bowl add the yolk to the ricotta and almond milk, stir to combine. Add the flour, salt and baking powder and whisk to create a smooth batter. In another bowl, beat the egg white until frothy then fold into the batter mixture.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan and drop large spoonfuls in, you should get around four. Cook on each side until golden and fluffy but still a little gooey in the middle.
While they’re cooking, halve and de-stone the cherries and fry quickly in another pan with a little sugar. As soon as they’re softened and releasing their juices pour in a little of the maraschino and toss to combine.
Stack up the pancakes on a plate, add a large dollop of yoghurt and pour over the cherries and all their juices.
You might also like: Greengage, Cobnut and Stem Ginger Cake
