Buckwheat Pancakes with Apple-Cranberry Compote and Ricotta Creme

It was a cold Sunday morning and I was looking forward to a leisurely breakfast with a steaming pot of Earl Grey tea and my newspaper. Should I have my regular bowl of hot oatmeal or was there enough time to prepare something special? I decided to try out a recipe for buckwheat pancakes served with an apple-cranberry compote and a ricotta creme sweetened with Sicilian honey.

Ingredients:
1 cup buckwheat flour
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp wheat germ
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp organic sugar
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup canola oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten

• Preheat oven to 175° F.
• Mix together flours, baking powder and soda, salt, wheat germ, chia seeds, cinnamon and sugar.
• Whisk in buttermilk, canola oil, the two lightly beaten eggs, and let stand for a few minutes.
• Heat pancake griddle and spoon about 2 tbsp batter for each pancake. Flip when first bubbles appear. 
• Keep warm in preheated oven.

Apple-cranberry compote
Wash, core and chop into 1-inch pieces one Gala and one Granny Smith apple. Place into saucepan and add 1/2 cup frozen cranberries, 1 tbsp organic sugar, and 2 tbsp lemon juice. Add 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon if desired. Cook on medium heat for about 8-10 minutes or until fruit is soft. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Ricotta Creme
Mix 1/2 cup of whole milk ricotta cheese with 1 tbsp softened Sicilian honey.

To serve, place several pancakes on plate and serve with apple-cranberry compote. Top with a dollop of ricotta creme.

Serves 2-3