Farinata (3 Ways!)
When traveling in Italy last summer, we had the time of our lives eating delicious food. Despite meat and cheese being staples of Italian cuisine, vegan food was abundant! From fully vegan restaurants to trattorias with “accidentally-vegan” Italian staples, the entire trip was a feast. Pizza marinara, herbed focaccia, fruit sorbetto, spaghetti aglio e olio, caponata Siciliana… You name it!
An unexpected food discovery of the trip was a humble chickpea flour dish somewhere between a savory pancake and a flatbread. Known by many names, depending on the region, it was usually found as farinata (“made of flour”) or cecina (from the word for chickpea, “ceci”) in the areas we visited. The dish is said to hail from Genoa in the north of Italy and shares ancestry with southern France, where it is called Socca. Though the origins of the farinata aren’t exactly known, the use of chickpeas and preparation of flatbread in wood ovens both predate written history! One version of an origin story involves Roman soldiers making chickpea flatbread in their copper shields over open flame, which is quite an image.
Farinata can be found everywhere from street markets to fancy restaurants. The ingredients are affordable, preparation simple, and results nourishing and delicious—It’s no wonder it’s loved so widely!
Traditionally, farinata is prepared on big shallow copper pans in a wood-fired oven. But there’s no reason you can’t enjoy this age-old staple in your home! Our recipe is designed for ease and simplicity. All you really need to make this recipe is an oven, oven-safe pan, and a bowl large enough for batter-mixing (a whisk makes that last part easier, though).
This is an extremely versatile recipe. We’ve included three different variations: Plain, Onion, and Kale. We encourage you to come up with your own variations and let us know how they are! This recipe can serve nearly any situation you find yourself in. From meals to party food, farinata can do it all. Pair it with a simple salad or roasted vegetables, top it with pesto or tomato jam… Possibilities abound!
It’s best served warm. When cooked properly, it should have crisp edges and crust with a custardy center. Cooking times vary greatly based on the batter, the pan, and the oven. Experiment with it and you’ll master it in no time!
Tips & Info
Resting the batter helps the inside of the farinata develop a custardy texture. This is because the granules of chickpea flour, which can be crumbly and dry, rehydrate and break down over time in the batter. Warm water helps speed this process up! If you have the foresight, go ahead and prep your batter up to 12 hours before you want to cook the farinata for an even creamier texture.
Be sure not to overcook it! The center can dry out fast. Once the edges are browning, curling, and releasing from the sides of the pan, check the center for firmness. It should be firm-but-not-hard.
We developed this recipe with 10-12” cast-iron or carbon steel skillets in mind. If you’re strapped for cookware, even a small sheet pan, pizza pan, or stainless skillet should do the job. Whatever you use, make sure it’s got a large flat surface for the batter to cook on and is confirmed oven-safe so you can preheat it! A smaller pan will mean a deeper batter, which will mean a longer cooking time. A larger pan will mean thinner batter, which will mean a quicker cooking time.
If your pan is broiler-safe, you can broil for the last minute or two of the cooking time for an extra-golden top.
Make it your own!
Rosemary is the staple herb of farinata, but experiment with other herbs or blends you like! Oregano, za’atar, thyme, and chives all make great candidates.
The same goes for veggies. Chard instead of kale? Whole scallions? Ribbons of carrot? Go for it (and let us know how it goes)!
Farinata
Power Plant | David Griffin-Luna | 2.8.20
Time: about 30 minutes (batter can be made ahead of time) | Feeds: 2-8 depending on context
Equipment:
Ingredients:
Plain Farinata
Onion Farinata
Kale Farinata
Instructions:
1) Measure the chickpea flour into a mixing bowl and add a pinch of salt. Stream water in slowly while whisking to prevent clumping. Whisk thoroughly to ensure saturation of the chickpea flour. It should be thin for a batter, a heavy-cream-like texture—Adjust flour and/or water in increments of 1 tbsp if necessary. Set aside to rest for at least as long as the oven preheats, or up to 12 hours (if more than 60 minutes, cover and place in the fridge).2) Preheat oven to 450° F with oven rack in the lowest position.
Plain: Place the dry pan on the lowest rack until the oven is preheated.
Onion/Kale: Preheat oven with the dry pan. After 5 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and add the onion/kale with 2 tbsp oil and a pinch of salt. Stir to coat and place on the bottom rack of the oven until it’s preheated or onion is browned/kale is beginning to crisp, 5-8 minutes, stirring a couple of times.
3) Once the oven is preheated, remove the pan. Add the final ingredients to the batter before baking:
a. Plain: Stir in 2 tbsp heat-safe oil, rosemary, and red pepper flakes if using. Rub or brush the preheated dry pan, including the inner sides, with a light coating of oil to prevent sticking.
b. Onion/Kale: Stir in cooked onion/kale, rosemary, and red pepper flakes if using.
4) Immediately pour the batter back into the preheated pan, jiggling to even it out and using a spatula to spread out any inclusions evenly.5) Place on the bottom rack of the oven. Bake for 12-16 minutes. When checking for doneness, look for edges that have turned dark golden-brown and separated from the sides of the pan. Cracks will form in the top, and you want the center to be firm but have some give.
6) Serve warm with a few grinds of black pepper! Drizzle or brush the top with some extra virgin olive oil before serving for bonus points.