Sicilian Ricotta and Pistachio Pancakes with Orange Honey

Name: Sicilian Ricotta and Pistachio Pancakes with Orange Honey
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 38 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Sicilian
Ingredients: ½ cup (65 g) shelled unsalted pistachios, pulsed in a food processor into a fine, sandy meal (not a paste); ¾ cup (95 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled; 2 tablespoon (25 g) granulated sugar; 1½ teaspoon (6 g) baking powder; ¼ teaspoon (1½ g) fine sea salt; 1 cup (250 g) whole-milk ricotta, at room temperature, well drained; 2 whole (100 g) large eggs, at room temperature, separated; ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk, at room temperature; 1 tablespoon (6 g) orange zest, finely grated from about 1 large orange (reserve the orange for juice); 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract; 2 tablespoon (28 g) unsalted butter, for greasing the pan, divided; ⅓ cup (110 g) honey; 2 tablespoon (30 ml) fresh orange juice, squeezed from the zested orange; 3 tablespoon (25 g) shelled unsalted pistachios, coarsely chopped, for topping; 1 tablespoon (8 g) powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender, creamy pancakes made with whole-milk ricotta, finely ground pistachios and fragrant orange zest, finished with warm orange-honey and crunchy chopped nuts. Inspired by Sicilian flavors, they are light inside with golden, lacy edges.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 18 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 48 min
Makes: 12 pancakes (4 servings of 3)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the pancakes
½ cup (65 g) shelled unsalted pistachios, pulsed in a food processor into a fine, sandy meal (not a paste)
¾ cup (95 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled
2 tablespoon (25 g) granulated sugar
1½ teaspoon (6 g) baking powder
¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) fine sea salt
1 cup (250 g) whole-milk ricotta, at room temperature, well drained
2 whole (100 g) large eggs, at room temperature, separated
½ cup (120 ml) whole milk, at room temperature
1 tablespoon (6 g) orange zest, finely grated from about 1 large orange (reserve the orange for juice)
1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoon (28 g) unsalted butter, for greasing the pan, divided
For the orange honey
⅓ cup (110 g) honey
2 tablespoon (30 ml) fresh orange juice, squeezed from the zested orange
3 tablespoon (25 g) shelled unsalted pistachios, coarsely chopped, for topping
1 tablespoon (8 g) powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

Equipment (9)

Large nonstick skillet or griddle (12-inch / 30 cm)
Food processor or spice grinder
2 mixing bowls (one large, one medium)
Whisk and rubber spatula
Zester or microplane
¼-cup (60 ml) measuring cup or scoop
Thin flexible spatula
Baking sheet with a wire rack
Small saucepan

Steps

Before you start

Take the eggs and ricotta out of the fridge 20 minutes ahead so the batter mixes smoothly.
Use whole-milk ricotta. If it looks wet, drain it in a fine sieve for 10 minutes first.
Use unsalted, shelled pistachios. If they are salted, reduce the added salt to a pinch.
Heat the oven to 200°F (95°C) to keep finished batches warm.

1
Prep and warm ovenOven 200°F / 95°C
- Heat the oven to 200°F (95°C) and set a wire rack on a baking sheet on the middle shelf.
- Finely grate the zest from the orange, then juice the orange and set 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of juice aside.
- Separate the eggs, putting whites in the medium bowl and yolks in the large bowl.
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Ready when: Whites are free of any yolk.
Tip: Even a speck of yolk stops whites from whipping, so separate over a small bowl first.
2
Grind the pistachios
- Pulse ½ cup (65 g) pistachios in a food processor in short 1-second bursts for about 15 seconds.
- Stop while the texture is like coarse sand.
- Chop the remaining 3 tablespoons (25 g) by hand and set aside for topping.
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Ready when: Nuts look like fine meal with no large chunks and are not oily or clumped.
Tip: Over-processing turns pistachios into butter. Add 1 teaspoon of the flour to the processor if they begin to clump.
3
Mix dry ingredients
- In a separate bowl or on a plate, whisk together the ground pistachios, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt until evenly combined.
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Ready when: The mixture is uniformly pale green-beige with no streaks of baking powder.
4
Make the wet batter
- To the egg yolks, add the ricotta, milk, orange zest and vanilla.
- Whisk for about 1 minute until mostly smooth; a few small ricotta curds are fine.
- Add the dry mixture and fold with a spatula just until no dry flour remains.
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Ready when: Batter is thick and spoonable, with no dry pockets.
Tip: Don't overmix, or the pancakes turn tough.
5
Whip and fold whites
- Whisk the egg whites with a clean whisk for 2 to 3 minutes until they hold soft peaks that curl slightly when the whisk is lifted.
- Stir one-third of the whites into the batter to loosen it, then gently fold in the rest in two additions until just streaky.
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Ready when: Batter is airy and mostly uniform, with a few small white streaks.
Tip: Fold with a scooping motion from the bottom to keep the air in.
6
Make orange honey
- While the batter rests, combine the honey and the 2 tablespoons (30 ml) orange juice in a small saucepan.
- Warm over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring, until loose and pourable.
- Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.
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Ready when: The syrup is fluid and just warm, with small bubbles at the edge at most.
Tip: Don't boil it; it will thicken into candy as it cools.
7
Heat the pan
- Heat a 12-inch (30 cm) nonstick skillet or griddle over medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Melt about 1 teaspoon of butter to lightly coat the surface.
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Ready when: A drop of batter sizzles gently and doesn't brown within 10 seconds.
Tip: Ricotta batter scorches easily, so keep the heat on the low side.
8
Cook first side
- Scoop ¼ cup (60 ml) batter per pancake, 3 to 4 at a time, leaving 2 inches (5 cm) between them.
- Gently spread each to about 3½ inches (9 cm).
- Cook 2½ to 3 minutes.
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Ready when: Edges look set and matte, small bubbles appear and the underside is deep golden.
Tip: Flip only once the edges are firm; ricotta pancakes are delicate.
9
Flip and finishOven 200°F / 95°C
- Slide a thin spatula fully under each pancake and flip.
- Cook 1½ to 2 minutes more.
- Transfer to the rack in the oven.
- Wipe the pan, add another teaspoon of butter and repeat with the remaining batter, for 12 pancakes in total.
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Ready when: Both sides are golden brown, pancakes spring back lightly when pressed, and the centers are cooked through, not wet.
Tip: If the first batch browns too fast, lower the heat slightly. Stack nothing in the oven; keep them in a single layer on the rack.
10
Serve
- Stack 3 pancakes on each of 4 plates.
- Drizzle with the warm orange honey, scatter over the chopped pistachios, and dust with powdered sugar if using.
- Serve right away.
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Tip: Re-warm the honey for 10 seconds if it has thickened.

Good to know

Tips

Drain wet ricotta well; excess moisture makes pancakes gummy and hard to flip.
Make a test pancake first and adjust the heat before cooking the rest.
Keep pancakes about 3½ inches (9 cm) wide; larger ones are harder to flip.
Toast the topping pistachios in a dry pan for 2 minutes for more flavor.

Make ahead

Grind the pistachios and zest the orange up to 1 day ahead and store separately in the fridge. Cooked pancakes can be made 1 day ahead and reheated.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 1 hour. Fridge: cool completely, then store in an airtight container with parchment between layers for up to 3 days. Freezer: freeze in a single layer, then bag, for up to 2 months. Reheat from fridge or frozen in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or in a toaster. Store the orange honey at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Substitutions

shelled unsalted pistachios → blanched almond flour or finely ground almonds. Gives a milder, still tender result; use the same weight.
all-purpose flour → 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour blend. Batter may be slightly thicker; rest the full 10 minutes.
orange zest → lemon zest. Use 2 teaspoons for a brighter, tangier flavor.
honey → maple syrup. Gives a different flavor but warms the same way; skip the orange juice if you prefer it thicker.