Deborah Madison’s Chard, Ricotta and Saffron Cakes

PREPARATION

• Wash the chard, drain and put in a pot with the water clinging to the leaves. Cover and cook over high heat until wilted. You want the chard to be tender but not overcooked, so keep an eye on it and taste it frequently. Add a few splashes of water if the pot threatens to dry out. When the chard is done, put it in a colander to cool and drain.
• Cover the saffron threads with 2 tablespoons boiling water and set aside.
• Combine the flour, salt and baking powder in a bowl. In a second, larger bowl, mix together the ricotta, Parmesan, milk and eggs until blended. Add the oil and the saffron, then whisk in the flour mixture. Returning to the chard, squeeze out as much water as possible, then chop it finely and stir it into the batter.
• Heat a few tablespoons olive oil or ghee in a skillet over medium heat. Drop the batter by the spoonful into the hot pan, making small or larger cakes as you wish. The batter is quite thick, and it will not behave like a pancake. You need to give it plenty of time in the pan to cook through. Cook until golden on the bottom, then turn the cakes once, resisting the urge to pat them down, and cook until the second side is also well colored, maybe 3 minutes per side, or longer.
• Serve each cake with a tiny spoonful of sour cream and a finish of diced beets and beet thinnings.