Cornmeal and Ricotta Waffles

Happy Halloween! Oh, and it might just be the best Halloween ever because this morning the Red Sox are World Series Champions! So crazy. I’ve been glued to the tv ever since the playoffs began three or four weeks ago and while I’m pretty much a zombie at this point from lack of sleep, it was all worth it to see every minute of this improbable run to a championship.

We are so spoiled in Boston with our sports teams, it’s one of the things I love most about living in this area. We’re heading out of town this weekend (more on that tomorrow), or otherwise you better believe I’d be lining up on Saturday morning to watch the duck boat parade 🙂

This morning definitely calls for waffles to properly celebrate, don’t you think? The inspiration for making this recipe was leftover ricotta. Ricotta is one of those things I tend to buy for one recipe and then forget about, pushing it further and further back in the fridge. Not this time though, I really am trying to keep it clean after Shane spent so much time cleaning it!

These cornmeal and ricotta waffles were a great solution to the leftover ricotta problem. It might sound a little weird to use ricotta in waffles, but in the end it really doesn’t lend any flavor, it just ensures the interior of the waffles stay moist. On the flip side, the cornmeal helps keep the outside really crisp, giving them great textural contrast! The waffles aren’t all that sweet on their own which means you can really go in two directions here. They’d be the perfect vehicle for lots and lots of maple syrup, which is never, ever a bad idea 🙂 But alternatively, you could definitely use them in a more savory application too. Maybe some hash and a fried egg on top, or even some fried chicken sandwiched between a few of them?

Hope you all have a safe and fun Halloween!

Cornmeal and Ricotta Waffles
from Food & Wine

1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
2 cups milk (I used 1%)
6 large eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups cake flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Preheat your waffle maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If you want to keep the waffles warm, preheat your oven to 200 F then place a wire rack inside of a rimmed baking sheet and pop in the oven.

Whisk the ricotta with the milk, egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl. In a second bowl, whisk the cake flour together with the cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and whisk just until combined (the batter may be lumpy, that’s fine!). Stir in the melted and cooled butter.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until they hold stiff peaks. Gently fold the egg whites into the waffle batter until there are no white streaks.

Fill the wells of your waffle maker and cook according to the manufacturer’s instructions (about 1 cup of batter and 4-5 minutes in my waffle maker). To keep the first waffles warm while you finish up the batter, transfer to the wire rack in the oven. Serve with your favorite toppings!