Ricotta, Honey, Pine Nut and Thyme Pancakes
Ricotta on a warm pancake is one of those combinations that sounds restrained and tastes extraordinary. The honey goes on hot so it thins slightly and runs into the edges; the toasted pine nuts add a roasted, buttery nuttiness that keeps everything from becoming too sweet; and the fresh thyme — just a few leaves stripped from the stem — adds an herbal note that makes the whole thing feel considered rather than assembled. Use good honey. It is the point of the dish.
Ingredients
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- 125g (4½oz)plain flour, sifted
- 300ml (10fl oz)whole milk
- 1large egg
- 25g (1oz)unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for the pan
- a pinchfine salt, for the batter
- 250g (9oz)full-fat ricotta, drain in a sieve for 10 minutes if very wet
- 4 tbspgood runny honey, acacia, wildflower, or heather — something with real flavour
- 40g (1½oz)pine nuts, toasted in a dry pan — see method
- 6–8 sprigsfresh thyme, leaves only — no stems
- a pinchflaked sea salt, Maldon or similar — this is not optional
- to tastefreshly cracked black pepper
Method
- 1
Toast the pine nuts first. Spread them in a dry frying pan over medium heat. Shake the pan often and watch them closely — they go from pale to golden in about 3 minutes, and from golden to burnt in about 90 seconds. Remove from the heat the moment they are golden and smell nutty. Tip immediately onto a plate to cool — do not leave them in the hot pan.
Pine nuts have no warning before they burn. Stay at the hob and keep the pan moving. - 2
Make the pancake batter: sift the flour into a bowl, make a well, crack in the egg, add a pinch of salt, and pour in about a third of the milk. Whisk from the centre outwards, adding the remaining milk in stages until smooth. Stir in the melted butter. Rest for 20 minutes — the extra resting time gives a more supple, tender pancake, which matters when ricotta is the topping.
- 3
While the batter rests, take the ricotta out of the fridge. Slightly cool ricotta is fine; cold, fridge-hard ricotta tears the pancake when you try to spread it. If your ricotta looks wet or watery, spoon it into a fine sieve set over a bowl and drain for 10 minutes.
- 4
Strip the thyme leaves from their stems: hold the top of a sprig and run two fingers down the stem against the direction of the leaves. You want only the leaves — the woody stems are unpleasant to eat.
- 5
Cook the pancakes: heat a non-stick frying pan (20–22cm) over medium-high heat. Add a small knob of butter. Pour in a thin layer of batter and tilt to coat the base evenly. Cook for 1 minute until the edges are dry and beginning to lift. Flip and cook for a further 30 seconds. Keep warm in a low oven (100°C) while you cook the rest.
- 6
To serve: lay one warm pancake flat on a plate. Spoon a generous tablespoon of ricotta onto the centre and spread it gently across most of the surface, leaving a small border. Drizzle a tablespoon of honey over the ricotta from some height — you want it to spread unevenly rather than pool in one place.
The honey should be runny enough to pour. If it is thick and cold, sit the jar in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes. - 7
Scatter over the toasted pine nuts. Strip a sprig of thyme over the top. Add a very small pinch of flaked sea salt and a crack of black pepper. Fold loosely and serve immediately. One large or two smaller pancakes per person.
The sea salt is what makes this a grown-up dish. Do not skip it.
Pro Tips
- →Buy honey with real flavour. Supermarket blended honey is sweet but bland. Acacia (light and floral), wildflower (complex), or heather (stronger, slightly peaty) all work beautifully here. The honey is prominent — it is worth spending a little more.
- →Drain the ricotta if it is wet. Some supermarket ricottas are quite liquid. If it spreads into a puddle when spooned onto a plate, drain it in a fine sieve for 10 minutes before using.
- →The flaked sea salt is not decoration. A small pinch over the honey and ricotta is what makes this feel sophisticated rather than simply sweet. Do not skip it.
- →Watch the pine nuts. They burn with no warning. Tip them out of the pan the moment they look golden — residual heat carries them the rest of the way.
- →Use fresh thyme only. Dried thyme would be dusty and harsh where fresh thyme is delicate and slightly floral. It is not worth substituting.
Topping Ideas
Terms in this recipe
Defined in the Pancake Day glossary.
Questions & answers
Can I use cottage cheese instead of ricotta?⌄
What type of honey works best?⌄
Can I make this savoury rather than sweet?⌄
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