# What You'll Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
03 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
04 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
05 - ¼ teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
06 - 1 cup ricotta cheese (whole milk or part-skim)
07 - ¾ cup milk
08 - 2 large eggs, separated
09 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 - Zest of 1 lemon (optional)
11 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
# How-To Steps:
01 - Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.
02 - In a separate bowl, blend the ricotta, milk, egg yolks, vanilla extract, lemon zest if using, and melted butter until smooth.
03 - Fold the ricotta mixture gently into the dry ingredients until just combined; small lumps are acceptable to maintain texture.
04 - Using a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form, then carefully fold them into the batter to retain lightness.
05 - Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat and brush the surface lightly with butter.
06 - Pour ¼ cup of batter for each pancake onto the skillet. Cook until bubbles appear on the surface and edges are set, approximately 2 minutes. Flip and cook an additional 1 to 2 minutes until golden.
07 - Serve the pancakes warm topped with maple syrup, fresh berries, or a sprinkle of powdered sugar as desired.
