Preparation

Position a rack in the center of the oven, put a baking sheet on the rack, and heat the oven to 200°F.

In a medium bowl, beat the egg and then gently whisk in the ricotta until combined. Gently stir in the milk, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and lemon zest, then stir in the chopped basil. In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, 3/4 tsp. salt, and a pinch of black pepper. Gently whisk the wet ingredients into the dry until barely combined. The batter will be lumpy and a bit loose.

Let the batter rest while you heat a griddle or nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot.

Lightly oil the griddle. Working in batches, pour 2 Tbs. of the batter onto the griddle for each pancake, spacing them about 1 inch apart and gently spreading them with the back of a spoon or silicone spatula to a 3-1/2-inch diameter. Let cook, undisturbed, until bubbles rise to the surface and the edges look dry, 1 to 2 minutes. Check the underside of each pancake to make sure it’s nicely browned, then flip. Cook until the second side is nicely browned, about 1 minute more. Transfer the pancakes to the baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while you repeat with the remaining batter.

Raise the heat to medium high. Cook the tomatoes, turning occasionally, until blistered, about 5 minutes total. Serve the pancakes with a spoonful of tomatoes and a drizzle of olive oil. Garnish with the basil leaves.