Farinata Ceci – Amazing Ligurian Street Food Dish
If you had told me before, that I would have enjoyed something with chickpeas in it, I might have laughed at you! But this farinata ceci was really a game-changer in my books and my not-so-big love for chickpeas! So if need one more reason to visit or love to learn more about italin food in general, make sure this is on your list!
Imagine a sort of thin chickpea pancake, soft on the inside and a crispy top, perfect to have on the go. Made with simple and few ingredients, you can find different versions in the whole Mediterranean as well as in the Italian regions. Some call only for plain, others add rosemary and other spices to top it.
But you will ask, what’s in it for me with this Italian farinata? This farinata ceci is so delicious you will keep asking for more. It would be an amazing appetizer or entreé for dinner at home or as a snack on the go. And this ceci recipe is naturally gluten free, dairy-free, vegan, and nut-free, making it the perfect side dish for everyone!
What is farinata ceci? Where is it from?
Farinata is a traditional Ligurian dish made from chickpea flour, water, extra virgin olive oil and salt. It’s a thin savoury pancake typically baked in a wood-fired oven. Farinata di ceci is a well-known and quite popular street food carts in Genoa.
But farinata ceci is not only typical of Liguria but also a traditional Italian dish in other regions like in Tuscany, where it’s known as ‘cecina’ or ‘torta di ceci’, Sardinia where it is known as ‘faina’ and also in the rest of the Mediterranean with different names. In France, another country where farinata is very popular, it takes diffent names like ‘socca’ in Nice and ‘cade’ in Toulon. Also known as ‘calentinca’ in Algeria and ‘fainá’ in Buenos Aires and Montevideo (Uruguay).
What’s the history of farinata ceci?
The history of farinata is not set in stone, some say that it has Greek origins, other Roman origins. According to an old legend, it was born in 1284, while Genoa defeated Pisa in the battle of Meloria. During a storm, olive oil barrels and sack of chickpeas in the Genoese ships spilled and mixed with water.
The crew salvaged some, but most sailors refused to eat the soggy dish. Left under the sun, the next day the mixture was more pancake like and everyone enjoyed it! The recipe was improved when they got to land and was named ‘the gold of Pisa’.
What ingredients do I need to make this Italian chickpea farinata?
You need very few ingredients to make this Ligurian street food dish. And seen that there are few of them, in this case, there are no substitutes. You will need:
- chickpea flour – made from dried chickpeas, naturally gluten-free, high in protein and rich in fiber. With a nutty earthy taste. The main character of this chickpea flatbread.
- extra virgin olive oil -helps get the crispy top and edges to the farinata ceci, as well as help implement the flour’s taste.
- salt – helps enhance the flavours of the chickpea flour and balance the dish.
- water – essential for rehydrating the chickpea flour and create a smooth batter (make sure to let it rest).
- mixed seeds (optional) – a lot of recipes call for an add on, but that’s totally optional. We went for mixed seeds, but other popular toppings are black pepper or rosemary.
How do I make this ceci farinata?
Start by preheating your oven to 220°C. Then, in a large bowl, pour the water and add the salt, mixing until it dissolves completely. Gradually add the chickpea flour, whisking continuously until fully incorporated and free of lumps. Let it rest for 1 hour so that the water can hydrate the chickpea flour fully. (If you have time to rest it even longer, cover it with plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for up to 6 hours.)
Skim off any froth from the surface using a soup ladle (or spoon), then add the extra virgin olive oil and mix well. Oil a 28 cm diameter tin and pour in the chickpea mixture. Sprinkle some mixed seeds on top and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Let it cool slightly before enjoying your farinata ceci!
Farinata ceci
Ingredients
- 600 g water
- 200 g chickpea flour
- 40 g olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- mixed seeds
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 220C.
- In a large bowl, pour the water and salt and mix until the latter dissolves completely.
- Add the chickpea flour a little at a time in the same bowl and wish until fully incorporated. Make sure there are no lumps left.
- Let it rest for an hour at least so that the flour can rehydrate. *
- With the help of a soup ladle, remove the froth on top.
- Add the olive oil and mix.
- Then get ready a 28 cm diameter tin, oil it and then pour the chickpea mixture inside.
- Drizzle some mixed seeds on top and bake for 20 minutes or until golden on top.
- Cool slightly and enjoy your farinata ceci!
Notes
How do I serve farinata di ceci? Are there more farinata toppings?
There a lot of ways to serve this chickpea flour pancake and plenty of toppings ideas like:
- Plain hot from the oven – the traditional way to eat this in Genoa, cut in wedges and served hot, a delicious treat you can’t miss!
- Plain with black pepper – another way to serve this Italian chickpea bread, a great way to enhance the chickpea flour.
- With fresh rosemary – just add some fresh sprigs on top while still hot, another way to have it while in Genoa.
- With olives – a popular add on in Italy and France, reminiscing of the Mediterranean influence.
- With cured meats and cheeses – typical in Tuscany and liguaria, farinata is used as part of a platter featuring local ingredients, making it the perfect pairing companion.
- With caramelised onions or tomatoes – more common as a topping in France, where socca is served with onion or tomatoes on the side.
- As a sandwich filling: known as ‘5 e 5’ in Livorno, where a typical bread called ‘francesino’ is filled with slices of torta di ceci.
- As a sandwich filling: in Sicily, something very similar is made, called ‘panelle‘ which are fired chickpea flour fritter typical of the street food scene of Palermo.
- With a glass of wine or beer – it might not be the most popular way of serving this, but it would make an amazing spring for an appetizer with a glass of white wine or a beer.
Do you have anymore Italian street food recipes or food recipes that can go well with farinata di ceci?
We absolutely do! We only have a few street food recipes so far, but more are in the plans and we have plenty of recipes that could really compliment this chickpea farinata recipe:
- tigelle – they are small, round flatbreads, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, a staple of the Emilian street food scene and filled with meats and cheese.
- gnocco fritto – another widely popular street food, in this case from Emilia Romagna, a fried dough that pairs amazingly with meats and cheese.
- involtini alla siciliana – not a street food per sè, but I think this delicious involtini made with veal, onion, cheese, breadcrums and spices, crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, could pair amazingly with this chickpea recipe.
- friggione – let’s talk about thing you can eat with farinata ceci, friggione comes to my mind immediately! Typical of Bologna, this humble tomato and onion dish is a powerhouse of flavour!
- nduja ragu – this would pair the farinata ceci with a spicy kick on the side!
- white ragu – this version took us by surprise and became a favourite!
- pesto alla Siciliana – unite two regions that face the sea, and you have the perfect combo!
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