Farinata: thin chickpea flatbread from the oven

La Mia Liguria describes farinata as a Ligurian dish made from chickpea flour, water and olive oil. For a home oven we base the proportions and high-temperature method on GialloZafferano; the tourism page gives a different temperature and baking time.

4 people, snack or side dish · Preparation: 10 min · Cooking: 25 min · Resting: 240 min

Times are guidelines; preheat during preparation where possible. Allow extra time to cool food before storing it.

Equipment

32 cm round metal baking tin suitable for 250 °C, whisk, bowl

Ingredients

• 100 g chickpea flour
• 300 ml water
• 40 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 3 g salt
• 0.5 g ground black pepper

Method

1. Gradually whisk the water into the chickpea flour to make a thin, lump-free batter. Cover and rest in the fridge for 4 hours. Stir once halfway through.
2. Preheat a conventional oven to 250 °C. Skim any foam from the batter and stir well. Mix in 15 ml olive oil and the salt. Generously oil the metal tin with the remaining 25 ml oil.
3. Pour the batter into the tin; the layer stays about 5 mm thin. Place on a low oven rack and bake for 10 minutes. Using oven gloves, move to a higher rack, clear of the top element, and bake for another 10–15 minutes.
4. Remove when the surface is golden brown and the batter is completely set. The edges may be darker while the inside stays soft. Sprinkle with pepper and cut into wedges.

Storage

Cool leftovers within 2 hours and refrigerate in a covered container at 4 °C. Eat within 2 days. Reheat a stored portion once until piping hot throughout.

Allergens

The basic ingredients contain none of the fourteen legally specified main allergens. Cross-contamination information for chickpea flour may appear on the label; this recipe does not guarantee an allergen-free kitchen.

Our own version based on the cited regional sources. Not test-cooked by the editorial team; timings are a guide and the stated doneness is decisive.

Sources & image credits →