Recipe: Farinata di ceci
Of course, we know falafel, deep-fried chickpea balls. But you can also make a savory ‘pancake’ from chickpeas, farinata di ceci. A specialty from the Italian region of Liguria, which you eat there in a friggitoria.
Preferably one with an antique wood-fired oven and matching interior, but an electric oven in a shopping mall works just fine too. This recipe is from the former Fifteen restaurant in Amsterdam, where this crispy pancake with a silky center regularly featured on the menu.
How to make Farinata di ceci
Put the chickpea flour in a mixing bowl. Gradually add the water and olive oil while stirring. Let the batter rest outside the refrigerator for at least two hours. Any lumps will have disappeared by then. Preheat the oven to 220 °C.
Stir the batter well once more and add salt, pepper and chopped rosemary to taste. Cover the bottom of a baking tin with parchment paper and grease the edges well with oil to prevent sticking. Pour the batter into the baking tin and bake the pancake in the oven for about 10–20 minutes (depending on the type of oven you have), until crispy.
Cut the farinata into pizza slices if using a round tin, and into squares if using an angular baking tin.
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