Delicious: Farinata di ceci

Years ago, food editor at large Marjan Ippel watched the Genoa episode of the British cooking and travel show Two Greedy Italians, about the legendary London-Italian chefs Antonio Carluccio and Gennaro Contaldo. Ever since, she had one great wish: to someday eat a piece of farinata di ceci at Antica Friggitoria Carega, just like those two gluttons.

Farinata is a pizza-like pancake made from chickpea flour, water, salt, pepper and olive oil, which you can eat throughout Liguria, as well as in the area around Pisa. It may not sound very special, but it really is. You buy it by weight and eat it by hand like a slice of pizza.

Greedy Italians

After years of watching the YouTube video of the two greedy Italians’ visit to Antica Friggitoria Carega in Genoa while drooling, the day had finally arrived. Under the arcades by the harbour, I visited the small, doorless place where they also fry freshly caught fish in batter. A great combination with the farinata, which was actually what I had come for.

Crispy on the outside, velvety on the inside, and salty. In short: perfect.

And it did not disappoint. Crispy on the outside thanks to being baked on the spot in large, round iron baking pans in the antique wood-fired oven. And velvety on the inside thanks to the olive oil. And, of course, deliciously salty. In short: all the usual suspects for a wonderful eating experience.

Antica Friggitoria Carega, Via Sottoripa, 113r Genoa.

In the Netherlands, we only occasionally see farinata on the menu. For example, at restaurant Fifteen, Jollemanhof 9, Amsterdam.

Want to make it yourself? Here is the recipe from restaurant Fifteen.

Text: Marjan Ippel