Breakfast for Dinner: Buttermilk Ricotta Pancakes with Maple Candied Bacon & Eggs

Breakfast for Dinner: Buttermilk Ricotta Pancakes with Maple Candied Bacon & Eggs

Ingredients

Maple Candied Bacon:

1/2 pound thick cut bacon (use peppered bacon if possible)

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

salt & pepper

Buttermilk Ricotta Pancakes:

2 eggs, whites separated from the yolks

3/4 cup buttermilk

1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup white whole wheat or whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose flour)

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

pinch of salt

butter, for serving

pure maple syrup, for serving

Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomato Goat Cheese Scrambled Eggs:

1 tablespoon butter or olive oil

8 ounces fresh spinach

1/4 cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, sliced

6 eggs, beaten

2 tablespoon heavy cream

salt and pepper, to taste

4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

Directions:

    Maple Candied Bacon:

    Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

    Wrap a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and top with a wire rack.

    In a large, shallow bowl, add the maple syrup, brown sugar, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Mix well to combine. Add the bacon to the bowl and toss gently with your hands. Make sure that all of the slices are evenly coated in brown sugar. Place the bacon in a single layer onto the wire rack.

    Bake in the center of the oven for about 20-25 minutes. The bacon may look done, but I placed mine back in for about 10 minutes. It looks pretty dark, but I promise it's not burnt!

    Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes on the rack. Don't let them sit too long or else they will stick.

Buttermilk Ricotta Pancakes:

   

While the bacon is cooking, be working on the pancakes. Separate the egg yolks from the whites. Beat the egg whites with a handheld electric mixer or stand mixer until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes.

  

 Meanwhile, combine the ricotta, buttermilk, egg yolks, and vanilla in a separate, larger mixing bowl. Add the flour, baking powder, brown sugar, and salt to the ricotta and buttermilk milk mixture, stirring gently until just combined.

    Stir a small scoop of the egg whites into the pancake batter to lighten the batter, then fold in the remaining whites with a spatula.

   

Heat a skillet on medium heat. Grease with butter or cooking spray. Pour 1/3 cup pancake batter on the center of the hot pan. Cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Using a spatula, gently flip the pancake over and cook the other side for a minute, or until golden. Repeat with the remaining batter.

    Keep the pancakes warm in a 250 degrees oven while you make the eggs.

   

Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomato Goat Cheese Scrambled Eggs:

    In a bowl, using a fork, beat together the eggs, salt and pepper until blended.

    In a large fry pan over medium heat, melt the butter. When the butter foams, reduce the heat to low. Add the beaten eggs and cook, stirring several times, until curds just begin to form, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Add the spinach and sun-dried tomatoes, stir once or twice, and continue to cook just until the curds are soft, 2 to 3 minutes more. Stir in the goat cheese. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.

   

To serve:

    Spoon the eggs into small bowls. Divide the warm pancakes among plates. Drizzle with maple syrup and add a pat of softened butter. Top with candied bacon. DIG IN.