Anari, nectarine and pistachio pancake
A Greek-style pancake using anari or ricotta cheese topped with honey-laden nectarines makes the ultimate weekend brunch.
Ingredients
- 125g/4½oz fresh (soft) anari, or ricotta
- 100ml/3½fl oz whole milk
- 2 large free-range eggs
- ½ lemon, zest only
- 60²µ/2¼´Ç³ú caster sugar
- 60²µ/2¼´Ç³ú plain flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 30g/1oz unsalted butter
- 4 nectarines or peaches, cut into wedges
- ½ tbsp orange blossom water
- 2–3 tbsp honey
- a handful pistachios, finely chopped
- a few sprigs fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
- sea salt
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. If using ricotta, drain it in a sieve to dry it out a little.
Spoon the anari or strained ricotta into a large mixing bowl and pour in the milk. Separate the eggs, adding the yolks to the ricotta and keeping the whites to one side in a clean medium-sized mixing bowl. Add the lemon zest to the ricotta, then add the sugar and a pinch of sea salt and beat all the ingredients together. Sift in the flour and baking powder and fold them in.
Whisk the separated egg whites with an electric hand whisk until you have stiff peaks, then fold them into the ricotta batter, keeping it as light and airy as possible.
Place a medium non-stick ovenproof frying pan on a medium heat and add the butter. As soon as it has melted and is bubbling, ladle in the ricotta batter, then transfer the pan to the oven. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until risen, gold and the edges are crisp.
Meanwhile, place a griddle pan on a high heat. When the griddle is hot, grill the nectarine wedges for a few minutes on each side until charred. Transfer to a bowl and toss with the orange blossom water and honey.
When the pancake is ready, slide it onto a serving plate or board. Top with the nectarine wedges, drizzle over the honey juices, then scatter over the pistachios and mint leaves and tuck in.
