With their crisp acidity and fresh fruit flavors, Sicily’s wines are versatile when it comes to food pairing. In general, white wines are better with lighter-bodied foods and fresh cheeses, while reds pair naturally with richer dishes. That said, white wine lovers can rely on Grillo to complement the entire meal, from pasta to grilled white meats and goat cheese. And the go-to for red-wine lovers is Nero d’Avola, which matches with everything from antipasti to grilled meats.
Light, fluffy ricotta pancakes with a savory, citrusy garnish are a perfect brunch dish, balanced nicely with a refreshing glass of Inzolia from Sicilia DOC.
Ingredients:
Directions:
If your ricotta seems to have a lot of liquid, set it in a fine mesh strainer to drain off excess liquid about 30 minutes before you start cooking. If your ricotta seems fairly dry and compact, skip this step.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a small bowl. Combine ricotta, milk, egg yolks, and vanilla in a separate, larger mixing bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the ricotta and milk mixture, stirring gently until just combined.
Beat the egg whites with a handheld electric mixer until stiff (see Recipe Note). (Alternatively, whisk the egg whites by hand.) Stir a small scoop of the egg whites into the pancake batter to lighten the batter, and then fold in the remaining whites with a spatula.
Heat a griddle over medium-high heat. Melt a small bit of butter in the pan, just enough to coat the surface. Use a 1/3-cup measure to pour batter onto the hot griddle. Cook the pancakes for about 3 or 4 minutes, until the undersides are golden and you see a few bubbles popping through the pancakes. Flip the pancakes and cook another 2 to 3 minutes, until golden. Repeat with the remaining pancakes.
Serve the pancakes immediately with maple syrup and sliced oranges. Makes 8-10 pancakes.