Ligurian Chickpea Pancake Recipe (Farinata) (2024)

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Kyle Phillips

Kyle Phillips

Food, wine, and travel writer Kyle Phillips lived in Tuscany and developed his passion and expertise for food and cooking through travel.

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Updated on 01/25/23

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Ligurian Chickpea Pancake Recipe (Farinata) (1)

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 20 mins

Resting time: 4 hrs

Total: 4 hrs 35 mins

Servings: 10to 12 servings

45 ratings

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In much of Italy, a farinata is a thick porridge made with vegetables, broth, and finely ground flour of one sort or another.

The coastal Italian region of Liguria's farinata is a quite different: It's a popular street food made with chickpea flour and enough water to make a fairly liquid batter, and baked in the oven into a thin, crisp cake: What emerges is a very tasty chickpea pancake or flatbread that you slice up and serve. Expect it to go fast, and for people to demand more.

It is closely related to the socca of Nice, in southern France's Cote d'Azur region, and the cecina of Tuscany.

The town of La Spezia was servingfarinatain the street foods section of the 2010 Salone del Gusto, and in addition to serving it plain (and it was very good even plain), they were also serving it with sausages, casings removed and the meat crumbled over thefarinatabefore putting it in the oven, and with creamy cheese, which was dotted over the hotfarinataand melted wonderfully. Both mouthwatering options, though the plainfarinatais very good too.

Another classic option the folks from La Spezia weren't offering isaicipollotti,with finely chopped onions, which are sprinkled over thefarinatabefore putting it in the oven.

Next, a bit of history:
Farinata is said to have been discovered after the battle of Meloria, between Pisa and Genova, when the victorious Genoese fleet was hit by a storm so violent the barrels of chickpea flour in the holds were broken open and mixed with the seawater that was coming in. When the waters calmed the sailors scooped up the mess—they couldn't throw it away because it was all they had—and spread it on the decks to dry. It was so good that when they got home they began baking it, calling it L'Oro di Pisa, Pisan gold.

The final thing to noteis that though this chickpeafarinatais considered Ligurian, you will also find it along the Tuscan coast, where it is calledcecinaortorta diceci,in the French Costa Azzurra, where it is calledsocca,in Piemonte (introduced bygenoesetraders), where it is calledbelecauda,in the Genoese colonies of Sardinia, where it is calledfainè,and in Gibraltar, where it is calledcalentita.

For this recipe, you will need2 broad shallow pans with raised edges (if round about 15-inch, or 38 centimeters, in diameter, if rectangular, 10 by 18 inches or 25 by 45 centimeters.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/8 pounds (500 grams) chickpea flour

  • 1 2/3 quarts (1.6 liters) water

  • 1 cup (250 milliliters) olive oil

  • Salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ligurian Chickpea Pancake Recipe (Farinata) (2)

  2. Put the water in a bowl. Use a whisk to beat the chickpea flour into the water, stirring briskly to keep lumps from forming.

    Ligurian Chickpea Pancake Recipe (Farinata) (3)

  3. Whisk in a healthy pinch of salt too, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let it rest for at least 4 hours in a warm but not hot place.

    Ligurian Chickpea Pancake Recipe (Farinata) (4)

  4. When the time is up, preheat your oven to 440 F / 220 C. Use a slotted spoon to remove the foam that will have formed on the surface of the batter, and then mix in half of the oil, using the other half to oil your pans.

    Ligurian Chickpea Pancake Recipe (Farinata) (5)

  5. Pour the batter into the pans—it should be between 1/4 and 1/2 inch thick or 5 and 10 millimeters.

    Ligurian Chickpea Pancake Recipe (Farinata) (6)

  6. Bake the farinata for 20 minutes, until it has firmed up and become golden. Slice it up and serve it hot, with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

    Ligurian Chickpea Pancake Recipe (Farinata) (7)

Variations

The following are all optional toppings which can be sprinkled over the farinata immediately before placing it in the oven to bake: sausage (raw, casing removed and crumbled); soft cheese (along the lines of Crescenza or even creamy ricotta); onions (chopped). Bake as directed in Step 6.

  • Italian Appetizers
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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
330Calories
22g Fat
24g Carbs
9g Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10to 12
Amount per serving
Calories330
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 22g28%
Saturated Fat 3g15%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 81mg4%
Total Carbohydrate 24g9%
Dietary Fiber 5g16%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 9g
Vitamin C 0mg0%
Calcium 23mg2%
Iron 2mg12%
Potassium 353mg8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

  • Pancake
  • appetizer
  • italian
  • bake

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Ligurian Chickpea Pancake Recipe (Farinata) (2024)

FAQs

What is another name for farinata? ›

Farinata
Alternative namesFarinata di ceci, torta di ceci, fainé, fainá, cecìna, socca
TypePancake
Place of originItaly
Region or stateTuscany
Main ingredientsChickpea flour, water, olive oil
2 more rows

What is farinata made of? ›

Made with just chickpea flour, water, olive oil, and salt, farinata is a naturally gluten free, dairy free, and vegan delight. It's fairly easy to make, you just need to plan ahead: give yourself at least 4 hours to allow the flour to hydrate while you go about your day.

What does farinata mean? ›

Farinata means “made of flour” in standard Italian.

What wine goes with farinata? ›

Di Vino's favorite versions of the white farinata are versions with formaggetta cheese or raw ham. And the ideal wine pairing recommended to go with farinata? A nice glass of rosé.

What pan is best for farinata? ›

Put a well-seasoned or nonstick 12-inch pizza pan or cast-iron skillet in oven. (If you have a socca pan, obviously that will work well also.)

Where does farinata originate from? ›

Farinata is a typical dish originating in Liguria and Tuscany. Da Michele has always used the same supplier for their chickpea flour, an ingredient where quality makes a difference. The preparation is also very crucial, it takes experience to not create a clumpy mix as well as to perfectly intuit cooking times.

What is the difference between chickpea and chickpea flour? ›

Besan flour, gram flour, and garbanzo bean flour are all chickpea flours; they're just made from different varieties of chickpeas. Chickpea flour or garbanzo bean flour is milled using whole white chickpeas (garbanzo beans). Besan or gram flour is made by grinding split brown chickpeas (chana dal) into a fine powder.

Is farinata good for you? ›

Here there are some of the benefits of chickpea flour: As the dough is made with chickpea flour, this meal is very high in protein. Chickpea flour is higher in protein than other flours. It is rich in vitamins and minerals.

What is the name for flour made from chickpeas? ›

Chickpea flour, also known as gram, besan, or garbanzo bean flour, has been a staple in Indian cooking for centuries.

Why does farinata need to rest? ›

The proper ratio of water to chickpea flour makes a very thin batter that cooks up into a custardy pancake. Resting the batter allows the chickpea flour to fully hydrate.

Can you reheat farinata? ›

Hazan advises eating farinata the same day it's made. I agree. While it's best still warm and crisp at the edges, it's good at room temperature, too. I found reheating it in the oven revived its crispness nicely.

What is the difference between panelle and farinata? ›

Panelle might bring to mind Liguria's farinata, a baked flatbread also made with a chickpea batter. But while both have a similarly delicious, mildly nutty flavor, if you ask me, the crispiness you get by frying them gives panelle a definite leg up. They're a bit like potato chips, only thicker and tastier.

What wine goes with chickpeas? ›

Pairs Well With
  • Chardonnay.
  • Sauvignon Blanc.
  • Friends White.
  • Dry Rosé of Zinfandel.
  • Friends Red.
  • Sangiovese.
  • Sonoma Classico.
  • Zinfandel.

What do the Spanish drink with tapas? ›

Top pairings
  • Sherry* Being a sherry fan I was bound to put it at the top of the list but in my view you can't beat a good, freshly opened, well-chilled fino with the basic tapas of almonds, olives, manchego (cheese) and jamon. ...
  • Cava. ...
  • Rosado. ...
  • Rueda. ...
  • Rioja. ...
  • Mencia.
May 21, 2021

What do Germans eat with wine? ›

Wiener schnitzel—or breaded pork cutlet—thrives on Riesling and light reds, especially Pinot Noir. If you're a fish lover, herring and pickled whitefish pair well with sparkling wines, dry Rieslings, and Chablis. As far as desserts, black forest cake is the most popular German dessert out there.

Where is farinata from in Dante's Inferno? ›

Manente degli Uberti (1212 – 11 November 1264), known as Farinata degli Uberti, was an Italian aristocrat and military leader of the Ghibelline faction in Florence. He was considered to be a heretic by some of his contemporaries, including Dante Alighieri, who mentioned Farinata in his Inferno.

What is the Latin word for chickpea? ›

The name chickpea comes from the Latin word cicer, referring to the plant family of legumes, Fabaceae. It is also known by its popular Spanish-derived name, the garbanzo bean.

What is the other name for Chana flour? ›

Chickpea flour, also known as gram, besan, or garbanzo bean flour, has been a staple in Indian cooking for centuries. Chickpeas are versatile legumes with a mild, nutty taste, and chickpea flour is typically made from a variety called Bengal grams.

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