Cheesecakelets

Method

1. Start with the fruit, just so that it can macerate while you make the pancakes. Depending on their size, chop the strawberries into quarters or eighths, sprinkle over the balsamic vinegar and sugar (you'll need a little more, or less, depending on how sweet and ripe the berries are) and swirl the bowl about a bit so the strawberries are coated before covering them with clingfilm and leaving to steep while you set about making your cheesecakelets.
2. Seperate the eggs. Mix the yolks with the sugar, beating well. Add the cottage cheese, flour and vanilla. Then, in another bowl, whisk the whites til frothy (with a hand whisk only) and fold the white spuma into the cottage cheese mixture.
3. Heat a smooth griddle pan or non-stick frying pan and dollop tablespoons of the curd-thick batter on to it to make cakelets of about 8cm in diameter. Each cheesecakelet should take about 1 minute to firm up underneath, when you should flip it and cook the other side. Remove to a warm plate as and when ready.
4. Turn the strawberries in the ruby syrup they've made and squish some pieces with a fork at the same time. Decant them into a bowl, with a spoon for serving and bring your cheesecakelets to the table at the same time.