Farinata Genovese, known in Genoa as fainà, is made with chickpea flour, water and extra virgin olive oil. After the batter has rested, it is baked at high heat until golden on top and soft in the centre.
Place the chickpea flour in a large bowl. Gradually add the water, whisking by hand to prevent lumps from forming. Continue whisking until the batter is smooth and very thin.
Cover the bowl and leave the batter to rest at room temperature for at least 4 hours. Stir it a couple of times during the resting period. If any foam forms on the surface, skim it off with a slotted spoon or regular spoon.
Preheat a conventional oven to its highest temperature, preferably 250°C / 480°F. Add the salt to the batter and mix well. Pour all 50 g of the extra virgin olive oil into a 32 cm / 12.5-inch round pan, spreading it across the entire bottom.
Slowly pour the batter into the pan over the oil. Stir gently with a spoon, bringing some of the oil to the surface and distributing the batter into an even layer.
Place the pan in the lower part of the oven and bake at 250°C / 480°F for about 15–20 minutes, until the farinata has set and begun to turn golden. Move it to the upper part of the oven and continue baking for a few more minutes, using the grill/broiler if necessary, until the surface is deeply golden.
Remove the farinata from the oven and let it settle for a couple of minutes. Cut it into wedges and serve while still hot, with freshly ground black pepper if you like.
Servings 6
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Traditional farinata is baked in a testo, a large round pan made from tinned copper, and benefits from the extremely high temperatures of a wood-fired oven. At home, you can still achieve a good result with a 32 cm / 12.5-inch round pan, preferably metal, by preheating the oven to its maximum temperature before baking.
The batter should form an even layer across the pan. After pouring it over the oil, stir gently so that there are no noticeably thicker areas, which would cook differently from the rest of the farinata.
Use the grill/broiler only if the surface is still too pale after the first stage of baking. Watch it closely, as it can brown very quickly at this temperature.
Rosemary is one of the additions found in some versions of farinata, but we have left it out of this basic recipe. Other ingredients are also traditionally added in different parts of Liguria.
Farinata is at its best freshly baked. Let it settle for only a few minutes after taking it out of the oven, then serve it hot or warm.
The best-known story about the origins of farinata begins at sea in 1284, after the Battle of Meloria. Genoese galleys were returning from their victory over Pisa when, according to the story, they were caught in a storm. Seawater, oil and chickpea flour became mixed together in the holds, and with their provisions damaged, the sailors had little choice but to make use of what remained.
The mixture was left to dry in the sun and then eaten. According to tradition, once they returned to Genoa, someone decided to repeat the experiment by baking it in an oven.
The Battle of Meloria certainly took place; the rest of the story does not have the same historical foundation. The legend has nevertheless been associated with farinata for centuries and remains probably the best-known story about its origins.
In fifteenth-century Genoa, the Latin term scripilita appears in connection with a preparation associated with farinata. The name is said to have come from the crackling sound of the batter as it cooked.
At the heart of its preparation was already the testo, the large round tinned copper pan that remains part of the farinata tradition today. A reference dating to 1477 is cited among the historical records of the Genoese preparation.
The old name has disappeared from everyday use, while its Genoese descendant, fainà, has survived to the present day.
In Genoa's narrow caruggi, farinata found its home in the sciamadde. The name comes from sciammadda, meaning flame, a reference to the fire of the old ovens.
These were popular, often small establishments where people ate farinata, vegetable pies and fried fish. The oven dominated the room, and the large copper testi were placed directly in front of the flames. Farinata arrived at the counter hot and ready to eat.
The sciamadde are not merely a thing of the past. Some still operate in Genoa's historic centre, continuing to prepare the specialties that generations have eaten in the city's narrow streets. Among Genoa's historic shops are businesses associated with savory pies and farinata that date back to the nineteenth century.
Savona is also home to a very different kind of farinata. Known as farinata bianca, or white farinata, it is prepared with wheat flour instead of chickpea flour.
The difference goes beyond its colour. In Liguria's list of PAT (Prodotti Agroalimentari Tradizionali, Traditional Agri-Food Products), the two preparations are registered separately: Farinata (ligure, di ceci) and Farinata (savonese, bianca).
Outside Liguria, we find preparations related to farinata whose names change from place to place. Tuscany has cecina and torta di ceci, Sardinia has fainè, while in Nice we find socca.