(Makes 12)

6 eggs, separated
175 g ricotta cheese
Juice of a mandarin orange
50 g butter, melted
100 g plain flour
2 to 4 tablespoons unrefined sugar
Pinch of Gozo sea salt
3 or 4 tablespoons mandarin zest

Mix the wet ingredients first, and then separately, the dry ingredients, but not the mandarin zest.

Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the egg mixture, and fold in two tablespoons of zest. Whisk the egg whites until they hold firm peaks, and fold into the batter.

Grease a griddle, or use a non-stick pan, and heat it. When hot, ladle the batter onto the griddle. You should be able to cook the hot cakes in three batches of four. Cook the cakes until golden, and then turn them over, flattening the cooked side with a spatula, and continue cooking until golden brown on the second side.

Stack the cakes on a plate, set over a pan of hot water until finished. Serve dusted with icing sugar, and sprinkled with the remaining mandarin zest. The fruit compote is very good with these, as is an extra helping of ricotta as an accompaniment.