Chickpea Farinata

Chickpea farinata is a traditional dish from Ligurian cuisine, especially from the city of Genoa. It’s a type of crepe baked in the oven, made with a simple batter of chickpea flour, water, salt, and olive oil. Here is the recipe for making an authentic chickpea farinata.

Ingredients

• 200 g of chickpea flour
• 600 ml of water
• 60 ml of extra virgin olive oil
• Fine salt, to taste
• Black pepper (optional), to taste
• Fresh rosemary (optional), chopped

Preparation

1. In a large bowl, sift the chickpea flour to avoid lumps.
2. Gradually add water to the chickpea flour, stirring with a whisk to get a smooth and lump-free mixture.
3. Stir half of the extra virgin olive oil and a generous pinch of salt into the batter. (If you wish, you can add a pinch of freshly ground black pepper or chopped rosemary for an even richer flavor.)
4. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let the batter rest at room temperature for at least 4 hours, though 8 hours is better. This allows the chickpea flour to hydrate well and the ingredients to blend together.
5. Preheat the oven to the highest temperature, placing a large and shallow baking tray inside, big enough for the amount of batter (typically a copper pan or a non-stick pan is used).
6. Once the baking tray is very hot, carefully remove it from the oven and pour the remaining extra virgin olive oil into it, making sure to cover the bottom evenly.
7. Gently pour the batter into the hot tray, reaching a thickness of about 1 cm. Be careful, as the tray will be very hot and the oil may splatter.
8. Bake the farinata for about 20-30 minutes until it is golden brown and the edges start to pull away from the tray. Some people prefer their farinata more or less crispy, so the cooking time may vary according to personal preferences.
9. Once ready, take the farinata out of the oven and let it cool slightly before serving.

Curiosity

Tradition dictates that farinata is baked in a wood oven, in the so-called “testo”, a particularly large metal pan, to achieve that characteristic golden and crispy crust. Farinata can be enjoyed on its own or with toppings like onions, rosemary, or black pepper. In some local variations, it is also enriched with other ingredients such as cheese or bacon.