Farinata

''Farinata'' (), ''socca'' (), ''farinata di ceci'', ''torta di ceci'', ''fainé'', ''fainá,'' ''cecìna'' or ''cade'' is a type of thin, unleavened pancake or crêpe made from chickpea flour.

''Farinata'' is a typical preparation of the northwest Mediterranean coast; in Liguria it is named ''farinata'', in Nice ''cade.''

It is also a speciality of Oran, Algeria, where it was introduced under French rule and known as ''calentica'', and in the cities of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Montevideo, Uruguay, where it is known as ''fainá'' and eaten with pizza.

Names

In standard Italian, the dish is called ''farinata'' ('made of flour'), while in Ligurian, specifically in the Genoese dialect, it goes by the name of ''fainâ'' (); in Massa and in Carrara it is called ''calda calda'' (), in the rest of Tuscany ''cecina'' or ''torta di ceci'' () and in Sardinia ''fainé''.

In Nice and the Alpes-Maritimes it is called ''socca'', and in the Var, especially in Toulon, it is known as ''cade'', from Occitan ''pascade'', as it was traditionally served during Easter (''Pascas'' in Occitan).

In Argentina and Uruguay it is massively popular and is called ''fainá''.

History

The origin of the dish is unknown. One legend says it was invented by a group of Roman soldiers who roasted chickpea-flour on a shield.

Cooking method

''Farinata'' is made by stirring chickpea flour into a mixture of water and olive oil to form a loose batter, pouring it into a pan to make a pancake typically 4 mm thick, and cooking it for a few minutes, traditionally in an open oven in a tin-plated copper baking-pan. It may be seasoned with fresh rosemary, pepper and sea salt. Traditionally ''farinata'' is cut into irregularly shaped triangular slices, and eaten (with no toppings) on small plates with optional black pepper. Elsewhere in Italy—traditionally in Tuscany, where it is called ''cecina'' (from the Italian word for 'chickpeas', ''ceci'')—it is served stuffed into small focaccia (mainly in Pisa) or between two slices of bread, as it is traditional in Livorno. It is sold in pizzerias and bakeries.

Italian variations

French variations

*''Socca'' is a dish of southeastern French cuisine, particularly in and around the city of Nice and Marseille, ''farinata'' can be found under the name ''cade''. This version is thicker with a crunchy surface.

Elsewhere

In Algeria, '' karantika'' is a similar dish which is very popular. It is served hot and dressed with cumin and harissa.

In Argentina and Uruguay (where many thousands of Ligurian people emigrated between the 19th and the 20th centuries), ''farinata'' is known as ''fainá'', similar to the original Genoese name ''fainâ''. It is often eaten on top of pizza (''a caballo'').

In Uruguay, ''el fainá'' (called ''la fainá'' in Argentina) is considered a traditional Uruguayan dish, brought by immigrants in 1915, so much so that 27 August has been called "Fainá Day". ''Fainá'' is optionally served ''de orillo'' or ''del medio'', which means from the border and from the center, because slightly irregular baking is made from to the meniscus of the liquid dough, making it thicker at the center, resulting different textures, more creamy or more crispy akin to the choice.

In Gibraltar, it is known as '' calentita'' when it is baked or '' panissa'' when it is fried. They are typically eaten plain, without any toppings. These are considered to be Gibraltar's national dishes.

In India, thin savory crepes made from besan chickpea flour are called Besan Chillas or Cheelas.

See also

* Cuisine of Liguria
* Cuisine of Provence
* List of pancakes
* Gram flour dishes

References

{{Street food

Pancakes
Chickpea dishes
Street food in Italy
Cuisine of Liguria
Cuisine of Provence