Chickpea flat bread (Farinata)

This is another typical recipe from my home town, Genoa! It dates back to almost 2,000 years ago and it a very simple recipe, with only 3 ingredients but it’s not easy if you want to make it perfect! It’s a main course. I don’t know what it could be compared to so the only way to undesrtand how farinata is, is try making it!!! Personally, I love farinata so let’s see how to prepare it!

Difficulty: Medium

Time needed: 5 minutes to prepare it, 50 minutes to cook it. Add 4 to 5 hours to let it rest

Serves 6

Price: Extremely low

Ingredients:

Water: 900ml

Chickpea flour: 300 gr.

Extra virgin olive oil: 1glass

Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Put the chickpea flour in a bowl and add the water. Add it little by little, while mixing in order to avoid lumps.

Let it rest AT LEAST 4 / 5 hours, mixing every now and then. If you have time, let it rest up to 10 hours, outside your fridge and covered.

After these hours there could be a sort of foam on your mixture. If so, remove it with a holed dipper. Then, add salt to taste and half a glass of oil. Put the remaining oil in a non stick round baking pan. The diameter has to be 40cm.

Preheat your oven to 220 degrees.

Now put your mixture into the baking pan and put the pan into the oven for 35 minutes (until its colour is golden brown).

Now turn off the oven and turn on the grill function for 15 minutes (until the colour of the top of the Farinata is hazelnut).

When ready, put on it salt and ground pepper to taste, cut it and serve hot!!! Enjoy it!!!

Tips and suggestion:

- This is the basic version of farinata but you can make it with thousands of other ingredients. You just have to add the ingredients when you turn off the oven and turn on the grill. You can add ham, salami, sausage, vegetables, cheese… just try!!!

- If you don’t have a non stick round pan, a copper or aluminium one is even better!

That’s all for today!!! Let me know if you like our fantastic Farinata!!!