Seperate the eggs and place the egg whites in a bowl and the yolks in a jug. Add the milk, flour, baking powder and salt to the egg yolks and whisk until smooth. Add the ricotta and stir gently - you want to ensure there are ricotta lumps in the batter.
Whip the egg whites with an electric whisk until stiff, then pour in the ricotta mixture. Fold into the egg whites using a spatula until fully incorporated - be sure not to overmix as you make knock out the air or smooth out those ricotta lumps.
Place a pancake or frying pan over a medium heat and lightly grease with vegetable oil. Once the pan is warm, add roughly a ladleful of batter to the pan and form into a circle. Carefully check underneath the hotcake to ensure it is browning, as the batter won’t bubble in the same way pancakes do. Once golden brown, carefully flip over onto the other side to continue cooking, then transfer to a clean tea towel to keep warm. Repeat with the rest of the batter.
To serve, stack up your hotcakes and top with fresh fruits and a healthy drizzle of maple syrup. They are best eaten immediately, but I did keep some for the next day and enjoyed them heated up in the microwave smeared with Nutella.
Recipe by Victoria Sponge Pease Pudding at http://victoriaspongepeasepudding.com/baking/ricotta-hotcakes/