Strawberry & Rhubarb compote:

• 250gms strawberries, tops removed
• 125gms blueberries
• 3 medium stalks of rhubarb, leaves cut off
• 3/4 cup caster sugar
• 2 tbs water
• 1 vanilla pod bean (reserve seeds for pancakes)

Ricotta pancakes:

• 1 ½ cup self-raising flour, sifted
• 1 tsp baking powder, sifted
• 1/3 cup caster sugar
• 1 1/3 cup full cream milk
• 1 large egg
• Seeds of 1 vanilla bean pod
• 3/4 cup full fat ricotta cheese
• 2 tbs ricotta for serving

Step 1 Wash fruit. Quarter strawberries if large, or halve if small. Keep blueberries whole. Trim all leaves from rhubarb stalks and cut into 2cm batons. Add all the ingredients in a heavy based frypan and turn on heat between medium to high. As the mixture starts to cook and the fruit softens gently mix a few times so that the sugar does not burn.

Step 2 Reduce to medium heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes until the compote is glossy and the juice has reduced into a syrup ensuring to gently mix mix every few minutes. Keep aside in the pan.

Step 3 Whilst the compote is cooking, combine all the pancake ingredients except for the ricotta cheese in a mixing bowl. Mix until it is a smooth and thick batter. In a separate bowl, whisk ricotta to break up large clumps then fold into the pancake batter – small granules or ricotta are fine.

Step 4 Heat a heavy based frypan between medium to high heat and grease lightly with unflavoured oil. Once pan is hot, gently spoon a ladle size amount of the pancake batter and spread out into an even level circle. Cook until bubbles can be seen (2-3 minutes) on the pancake then flip on other side and cook for a further 2 minutes. Repeat process until all the batter is used.

Step 5 Serve the pancakes in stacks whilst warm with the berries and rhubarb compote and some crumbled ricotta.