Farinata di Ceci (chickpea focaccia)

This delicious and traditional recipe is from the wonderful Liguria region. It is a sort of thin pie or even better a flat focaccia made with chickpea flour, water, extra virgin olive oil and salt. You can serve it as a gluten free alternative instead of bread or simply as a tasty starter.

I advice to use a non-sticky baking tray or baking parchment as you will use less oil and the “farinata” will be lighter and less greasy. I like to finish my farinata with rosemary infused oil and black pepper or sometimes I even stuff it with cheese and fry it.

Serves: 6 // Preparation Time: 15 minutes // Cooking Time: 30 minutes // Categories:  Starter

Ingredients for 4 people

• 500 ml water

• 175 gr chick pea flour

• 5 gr salt

• 50 gr extra virgin olive oil

• 1 small bunch of rosemary

• 1 garlic clove

• Olive oil for the rosemary infused oil

• Pepper (to taste)

Preparation

Put the water in a large bowl. Slowly add in chickpea flour, mixing it with a wire whisk. Cover and leave to rest in the fridge for 6 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven at 220˚C. Remove the foam from the top of the chickpea mixture. Combine oil and salt with the mixture with some black pepper if you like.

Fold a large and shallow baking tray with parchment, pour in the chickpea mixture (no more than 1½ cm thick) and bake in the oven at 200˚C for about 25/30 minutes or until well golden on the outside. Use the grill for the last 5 minutes if more colour is needed.

While the farinata cools slightly, pour about 50 ml of olive oil in a little pot and add the garlic and rosemary. Bring it to the frying point then let it cool slightly. This infused oil can be kept in the fridge for 4 weeks.

Slice up the farinata and serve while still warm, with rosemary oil and freshly grounded black pepper.

Perfect the next day if reheated.