Genovese Farinata | Recipeish | Gustus Vitae

Yield: 1 12" Pancake.
Time Estimate: 2 Hours, including 1 hour & 45 minutes unattended.
Storage Notes: Best if enjoyed immediately.
Difficulty: Easy.

This recipe is our take on Chef Chris Bianco's farinata, from his book Bianco. Our tweaks add a bit more cheese for a crispy edge (called the cornicione in Italian), and our signature Lavender Rosemary Sea Salt, adding rustic, floral notes that make this rustic chickpea pancake a knockout appetizer you'll be making again and again. 

Ingredients

  • 1 Cup chickpea (garbanzo bean) flour
  • 5 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
  • 8 Tbs grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 Tbs Lavender Rosemary Sea Salt
  • 1/3rd Red onion
  • 5-6 Sage leaves
      Directions
      • Preheat your oven, with a pizza steel or stone on the middle rack, to as high as it will go, and allow 1 hour for the heat to stabilize and settle.
      • In a medium bowl, whisk together chickpea flour, 3 Tbs olive oil, Lavender Rosemary Sea Salt, and Parmesan cheese with 2 cups of water.
      • All 30 minutes for the flour to fully rehydrate, giving the thin mixture a whisk every now and then.
      • Peel onion, and slice into long strands, as thin as you can. Reserve.
      • In a 10-12" crepe or pizza pan, drizzle 1 Tbs of olive oil, and scatter 1/2 of your onion strips, along with 3 sage leaves.
      • Pour half of the chickpea mixture in, rolling around to evenly coat the pan.
      • Sprinkle 2-3 Tbs of Parmesan around the edges, roughly where a pizza crust would be.
      • Pop in the oven for 15 min, and check for doneness. Edges should be well browned, but not burnt, and the middle just beginning to set. 
      • Rotate 180 and cook a further 4-6 minutes, until the middle is well set and the edges are just about to burn.
      • Remove, lightly dust with more Lavender Rosemary Sea Salt, and allow to cool for 5 minutes, before slicing as you would a pizza.
      • Gather around your group, and pick up slices directly from the tray, refilling everyone's tumblers with some good Sangiovese as you do.
      • Repeat steps above for the second pancake - the first one will be gone in no time.