IT Cuisine

Farinata di Ceci — Ligurian Chickpea Flatbread

Genoa's centuries-old street food — a paper-thin chickpea flour pancake poured into a scorching wood-fired pan and baked until blistered and golden at the edges, crisp outside with a custardy centre. Vegan and gluten-free.

📅February 22, 2026
10mPrep
20mCook
6Servings
4.8Rating
Farinata di Ceci — Ligurian Chickpea Flatbread🫓

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Protein 15%Fat 49%Carbs 36%
220kcalCalories
8gProtein
12gFat
20gCarbs
3gFiber

Ingredients

👥6
  • 8.8 ozchickpea flour (farina di ceci)
  • 3.2 cupcold water
  • 4 tbspextra-virgin olive oil
  • 8 gfine salt
  • 5 gfresh rosemary leaves
  • 3 gcracked black pepper

Instructions

  1. Whisk the chickpea flour and cold water together until completely smooth. Add 30 ml of the olive oil and the salt. Mix well. The batter will be very thin — this is correct. Rest the batter at room temperature for at least 4 hours (overnight is ideal) — this allows the flour to hydrate fully and develops flavour.
  2. Before baking, skim any foam from the surface of the batter with a spoon.
  3. Preheat the oven to its highest setting (250 °C or more). Place a 30–32 cm flat-edged round baking tin (tian or pizza tray) in the oven for 10 minutes until searingly hot.
  4. Remove the tin from the oven. Add the remaining 30 ml olive oil directly to the hot tin, swirling to coat the surface.
  5. Pour in the batter to a depth of approximately 5 mm. Work quickly — the bottom will begin to set against the hot oil immediately. Scatter the rosemary leaves over the surface.
  6. Bake for 12–15 minutes until the edges are deeply golden and blistered and the centre is just set — it should jiggle very slightly but not slosh.
  7. Slide onto a board, season with cracked pepper and a pinch more sea salt. Serve hot, cut into irregular wedges or squares. Eat standing up, the Genoese way.

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