Baking Hermann
Recipes

Farinata (Italian Chickpea Pancake)

One of my favourite twists to making chickpea tofu is to turn it into farinata instead. Farinata is a thin chickpea pancake that originated in Genoa and is known in France as ‘socca’. Traditionally, it’s made from chickpea flour, but just like with the Burmese-styled tofu, you can start with whole, dried chickpeas.

Usually, farinata would be baked in a hot pizza oven. To replicate it at home, most recipes will ask you to crank up the oven to the highest temperature and finish the farinata under the grill. I usually just bake it in the oven until set and then serve it upside down, showing off the beautifully golden & crispy base, with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of flakey sea salt and black pepper.

Ingredients

  • 100g dried chickpeas

  • 60g olive oil

  • 5g rosemary

  • Flakey salt

  • Black pepper

Method

Soak the chickpeas overnight in 3x the amount of water.

The next day, drain the chickpeas and pulse them in a food processor (I used my Vitamix) to break down slightly. Then add 220 ml of water and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into a bowl, mix in half of the olive oil and let it sit for around 2 hours (or up to 12).

Half an hour before the batter has rested long enough, pick the rosemary leaves and finely chop them. Preheat the oven along with a large non-stick frying pan to 220°C. When the batter is ready, add the rosemary to the bowl along with 1/2 tsp salt.

Remove the pan from the oven and drizzle in the remaining olive oil. Slowly pour in the batter and twirl and shake the pan to evenly spread it out. Then place the pan back in the oven and bake the farinata for 25 minutes (a chopstick should come out clean). With this method, the bottom tends to be crispier and more golden, so I usually flip the farinata by placing a plate on top and turning the pan upside down. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with flakey sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve warm.

Farinata

One of my favourite twists to making chickpea tofu is to turn it into farinata instead. Farinata is a thin chickpea pancake that originated in Genoa and is known in France as ‘socca’. Traditionally, it’s made from chickpea flour, but just like with the Burmese-styled tofu, you can start with whole, dried chickpeas.
No ratings yet
Active Time 2 hours
Course Snack, Street food
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 100 g dried chickpeas
  • 60 g olive oil
  • 5 g rosemary
  • flakey salt
  • black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Soak the chickpeas overnight in 3x the amount of water.
  • The next day, drain the chickpeas and pulse them in a food processor (I used my Vitamix) to break down slightly. Then add 220 ml of water and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into a bowl, mix in half of the olive oil and let it sit for around 2 hours (or up to 12).
  • Half an hour before the batter has rested long enough, pick the rosemary leaves and finely chop them. Pre-heat the oven along with a large non-stick frying pan to 220°C. When the batter is ready, add the rosemary to the bowl along with 1/2 tsp salt.
  • Remove the pan from the oven and drizzle in the remaining olive oil. Slowly pour in the batter and twirl and shake the pan to evenly spread it out. Then place the pan back in the oven and bake the farinata for 25 minutes (a chopstick should come out clean). With this method, the bottom tends to be crispier and more golden, so I usually flip the farinata by placing a plate on top and turning the pan upside down. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with flakey sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve warm.
Tried this recipe?Add a comment below.

Latest Recipes

2 Comments

  1. Elliot

    What would you generally serve this with?

    Reply
    • Julius Fiedler

      It’s a traditional Tuscan street food snack just like that. In Livorno, where it’s called torta di ceci, it’s served between a sandwich, optionally with a few slices of grilled aubergine. But you can also just serve it alongside a green salad or some stewed aubergines.

      Reply

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Recent Recipes

Easy Homemade Pita Recipe (Step-by-Step)

Easy Homemade Pita Recipe (Step-by-Step)

When it comes to pita, many know them stuffed with falafel, tahini sauce and chopped salad. It's a common street food in many parts of the Middle East, but the most popular version is often found in Israel, where the pitas are even fluffier to give you a large, soft...

Til Chikki (Indian Sesame Seed Brittle)

Til Chikki (Indian Sesame Seed Brittle)

What is Til Chikki? Til Chikki, also known as sesame brittle, is a traditional Indian sweet made from toasted sesame seeds and jaggery. This popular naturally vegan treat is especially common during the winter months as well as on festive occasions. Despite being made...

Lotek (Indonesian Vegetable & Tofu Salad with Peanut Dressing)

Lotek (Indonesian Vegetable & Tofu Salad with Peanut Dressing)

What is Lotek? Lotek is a traditional Indonesian vegetable salad, commonly found in West Java. It is made with a variety of steamed or blanched vegetables, like spinach, green beans, bean sprouts and cabbage, and is served with a rich peanut sauce. It's often seen as...

Chinese Wheat Gluten – Kao Fu (The Original Seitan)

Chinese Wheat Gluten – Kao Fu (The Original Seitan)

What is Chinese Wheat Gluten? Chinese Wheat Gluten, also known as Kao Fu (烤麸), is a traditional, plant-based protein made from wheat. It’s widely used in Chinese vegetarian cuisine, especially in dishes that call for a chewy, meat-like texture. Kao Fu is often served...

Tavče Gravče (Macedonian Baked Beans)

Tavče Gravče (Macedonian Baked Beans)

What is Tavče Gravče? Tavče Gravče (pronounced TAV-cheh GRAV-cheh) is a traditional Macedonian dish made with baked beans. Often referred to as the national dish of North Macedonia, it's hearty, flavorful and traditionally vegan (though variations can also include...

İmam Bayıldı (Turkish Stuffed Eggplants)

İmam Bayıldı (Turkish Stuffed Eggplants)

What is İmam bayıldı? İmam bayıldı is so delicious that "the imam fainted" when he tried it. Or at least, that's how the story goes according to the most common translation of the dish's name. Though "bayıldı" does indeed translate to "to faint", most Turks will argue...