Farinata

Farinata is a thin, unleavened pancake made from chickpea flour, water, olive oil and salt, baked in a very hot oven until its surface is spotted brown. It is a street food and bakery item of the Italian Riviera, especially Genoa and Liguria.

What it really is

Farinata is made from chickpea flour (farina di ceci) mixed with water, olive oil and salt, and left to rest so the flour hydrates. The batter is poured into a large round copper or iron pan, oiled, and baked in a wood-fired or very hot oven until the top sets and blisters brown. It is cut into wedges or squares and eaten hot, often with black pepper.

Farinata is often confused with socca from Nice, which is made from the same chickpea batter and is close in method, and with cecina from Livorno, which is also made from chickpeas and olive oil. Farinata is distinguished by its thickness, which is usually a few millimetres, and by its place of origin in Liguria. The origin of the name and the claim of Roman origin are not firmly established.

How it's served

• Cut into wedges or squares and served hot from the oven
• Eaten on the street or in a bakery, often wrapped in paper
• Seasoned at the table with freshly ground black pepper
• Sometimes eaten inside a piece of focaccia as a sandwich, a local habit in Genoa

How to write it on the menu

• Name the dish as Farinata di ceci and state that it is made from chickpea flour, water and olive oil
• Flag that the dish has no gluten-containing ingredients in the classic recipe, but that the kitchen may use shared equipment
• State whether it is served plain or with black pepper, rosemary or onion added
• Specify whether the wedges are served hot from the oven or cooled