In a medium bowl, combine the egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon extract; whisk until light in color and aerated, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the flour and salt, then whisk in the ricotta cheese and melted butter until just incorporated.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks. Fold them into the batter, being careful not to overmix. The batter can be prepared the night before and refrigerated.
Heat a griddle or a large sauté pan over medium heat and coat it lightly with oil. Pour 1/2 cup circles of batter and cook until bubbles begin to form on the tops of the pancakes and the bottoms are golden, about 2 minutes. Then flip carefully and continue cooking until the pancades are golden on the other side and dry in the middle.
Transfer the pancakes to serving plates and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, or keep them warm in a 200 degree F oven until ready to serve. Serve with syrup and berries on the side.Makes 6 large pancakes; serves two to three