The complete Farinata recipe – the crispy chickpea pastry from the Liguria region
- Royi
- Mar 3
- 8 min read
Dear diary,
We’ve arrived at another of the "Cinque Terre" towns in the Liguria region of northern Italy, Vernazza. How convenient that the train took us right to the town's doorstep, we thought. Right at the entrance, the town was packed with typical food shops and souvenirs, just before the path led us up a fairly steep hill into the town center. I don’t remember whether we arrived from another town and it was noon or whether it was the start of the day and the uphill climb stirred our appetite. It’s also possible that it was the new aromas that did it.
I can’t resist bakeries, I always peek inside out of curiosity, even if I’m not hungry. This bakery was there right before we started our hike in the mountain town, and it’s where I first encountered a local pastry from Liguria called "Farinata," a thin pastry made from chickpea flour and baked in a wood oven. Large round copper trays adorned the counters, and they gave off new smells to me. The bakery worker signaled me to choose from different sizes with a cutting tool, and I took a nice piece. I ate part of it right after leaving the bakery; it was lightly crispy on the outside with a slightly smoky taste. The inside was soft, and the flavor was dominated by the chickpeas, enhanced by the generous amount of olive oil used. I wrapped the rest of the pastry in paper and a plastic bag and put it in my backpack as we continued our hike.
The view was stunning. The colorful rooftops of the town created a scene of stairs leading all the way up to the green hills overlooking them, where rows of vineyards could be seen. Meanwhile, the sounds of the nearby church completed the experience. It was a great spot for a brief rest and to eat the second half of the Farinata. When I opened my backpack, I discovered that the raincoat it was resting on had been completely stained. It wasn’t a small stain, but rather a full-on puddle. The Farinata was in paper wrapping and then in a plastic bag, but neither security measure helped, and it showed that, like with the famous focaccia, the Italians are very generous with olive oil. I suppose it’s expected in a region that produces high-quality olive oil, which is a significant part of the local products and a source of pride for the residents. I loved that coat, but in hindsight, an orange raincoat? Maybe the universe was signaling something to me.
I’ve wanted to return to the region for a long time, and a few months ago, I even had a flight ticket, but it was canceled due to a storm that hit the region. Fortunately, in February, it finally happened; I flew to Genoa, the capital of Liguria, to delve deeper into the local cuisine of the city and the region. There and in nearby towns, I was able to experience the taste of Farinata again and explore its characteristics and preparation processes. I even purchased a high-edged baking tray suitable for high temperatures and a book entirely dedicated to farinata and its history. As soon as I got home, I continued trying to make it, and I achieved a result that reminded me of its flavor from my successful experiences, one that allowed me, for just a moment, to imagine I was still there.
What is Farinata?
A thin, pancake-like pastry typically made from chickpea flour, water, and olive oil, baked in a wood oven on heavy, round copper trays. It is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
Farinata can be eaten throughout the day: for breakfast, as a side dish to lunch or dinner, or alongside a glass of wine for an aperitif.
Unlike some foods that belonged to different social classes, it seems that Farinata has always belonged to everyone; visitors to the city, workers, young people who, after an evening out, ate Farinata with a glass of wine, and even the nobility who seemed to eat farinata as part of their dinner (as described in the book The history according to the book Farinata by Sergio Rossi).
Versions
The classic version of Farinata is made from chickpea flour, but in Genoa and its surroundings, you can also find versions with various additions, such as rosemary and onion, and versions with more significant changes, like the Farinata from Savona (a town near Genoa), which replaces chickpea flour with wheat flour. This version is called Farinata Bianca. There’s also a version made with corn flour and milk from the Sori area, called Farinata de granun. Throughout history, versions have also been documented that use chickpea flour with yeast, which likely resulted in a lighter Farinata.
Where to eat it
In Genoa and towns in the Liguria region of northern Italy, you can find Farinata in:
Sciamadde: Small shops with wood ovens specializing in baking Farinata and typical regional pastries. The word "Sciamadda" comes from the Ligurian dialect and is derived from the word "flame."
Bakeries (though I found them less successful in the ones I tried).
In Savona, as mentioned, you can find the Farinata Bianca made with wheat flour. It’s a charming city rich in history that’s worth visiting if you have time. By the way, if you continue east from Savona all the way to the city of Nice in France, you’ll still find Farinata, but under the name Socca.
While Farinata seems to originate in Liguria (see the short history section below), it is also found in other regions of Italy, such as Sicily. It even made its way to Argentina with Italian immigrants, where it is called Faina.
A tip from me: Only eat farinata that has just come out of the oven, even if you need to wait. Otherwise, the experience won’t be optimal.
A short history of Farinata
The history of Farinata dates back hundreds of years, and it has spawned different legends. One from the 13th century tells of a ship of Genoese warriors who returned from battle and got caught in a storm, causing barrels of chickpeas to spill, mixing with salty seawater. The resulting mixture was served as a meal for the prisoners aboard the ship, but some decided to pass on the treat. After a sunny day, the mixture hardened, and some prisoners decided to taste it. It seemed they were onto something, and when they returned to Genoa, they refined the pastry, which became a street food sold from carts throughout Genoa and the region.
Another legend goes much further back to around 200 BC, when the Romans who fought the Ligurians used their armor to bake a chickpea flour pastry. The Ligurians who saw this adopted the idea and developed it further in Liguria.
Beyond the legends, there are also more concrete records from the 15th century that describe the sale of Farinata, discuss its ingredients, and even mention its price.
The history according to the book Farinata by Sergio Rossi
Few ingredients, maximum quality
Farinata is a simple pastry, and its ingredients are just as minimal. The classic version uses chickpea flour, water, olive oil, and salt. These are the main ingredients. I believe that any food should be based on the best raw materials, but when it comes to a pastry with so few ingredients, the high quality of each one stands out even more. A generous amount of olive oil is used, and it must be of the highest quality.
Principles of Farinata
Thinness: Farinata is usually thin (about 0.5 to 1 cm thick). It’s not a cake or bread, and it doesn’t contain yeast (at least in the classic version) or baking soda or eggs. It’s mainly chickpea flour. A thicker pastry would be too heavy (I’ve had Farinata that was slightly thicker, and personally, I didn’t like it as much).
Crispiness: The top part of the Farinata will develop a crispy crust, resulting in a pastry that’s crispy on the outside and soft on the inside (the bottom usually stays soft too).
High oven temperature: Farinata is typically baked in wood ovens at a temperature of about 250-300°C. The pastry gets a nice char, which adds a unique taste and texture that complements its thinness. At home, it’s hard to replicate this, so it’s important for the oven to be very hot. 250°C worked wonderfully for me.
Round copper tray: The experts in the specialized Sciamadde shops use round copper trays, which handle the heat from wood ovens well and conduct heat efficiently. I almost bought one to take home! but its heavy weight and high price deterred me. However, I found that a high-quality aluminum tray works great, just make sure it’s flat so the pastry height is uniform. It can even be rectangular.
Ingredients for classic Farinata
Before I dive into the recipe, here are the basic ingredients and their proportions:
Chickpea flour
Water at room temperature (3 times the amount of flour)
Salt (2.5% of the flour)
Mild extra virgin olive oil (20%)
Ground black pepper for serving
Tools
A flat tray with slightly high sides, very important, or it will be hard to move the tray with the liquid mixture. It’s also crucial that the tray can handle high temperatures; otherwise, it will warp, and you’ll get uneven-height pastry.
Whisk
Fine strainer/sifter
Recipe
Ingredients (for a classic 30x40 cm tray):
200g chickpea flour
600ml room-temperature water
5g salt
40ml mild extra virgin olive oil
Instructions:
Gradually sift the chickpea flour into a bowl with the water, stirring well with a whisk (I found this method helps prevent lumps, even though during my research online I’ve seen people just pour the water directly into the flour). The mixture should be quite watery, with a consistency similar to cream.
Cover the bowl and let the mixture rest for three hours at room temperature, or in the fridge if it's very hot. You can also leave it overnight in the fridge.
About 30 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 250°C (480°F) and take the bowl out of the fridge.
Skim off any foam that has risen to the top of the mixture.
Add the salt and olive oil, stirring well to ensure there are no sediment leftovers at the bottom.
Grease the baking pan with olive oil (yes, more oil) and pour in the batter. Make sure to use a pan that can withstand high heat, or it may warp or even catch fire.
Lightly whisk the batter in the pan to evenly distribute the oil.
Bake in the center of the oven for about 15–20 minutes, until the Farinata turns golden and slightly browned (The farinata should bubble and "dance" in the oven, it's a beautiful sight worth watching!)
Switch to grill mode for another five minutes to slightly char the top (be careful not to burn it, this is the stage where you should stay close to the oven).
Unlike bread or other pastries where you want to retain moisture, there’s no need to wait too long before cutting the Farinata. Just let it cool enough to eat without burning your tongue. Farinata is best enjoyed hot!
Italian tips
Season with black pepper when serving – I personally love this! it really enhances the flavors of the Farinata to me.
Eat it in bread – Yes, this sounds strange, and I haven’t tried it yet, but apparently, some places sell Farinata inside a sandwich!
Storage and reheating
Farinata is best when fresh, and unfortunately, I haven't found a way to fully revive it. If I have leftovers, I store them in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat them in a 200°C (400°F) oven for about 10 minutes. The result is decent, though a bit drier and less crispy than fresh Farinata. Alternatively, you can reheat it in a pan with a bit of oil.
Buon appetito,
Royi.
Comments