A chickpea flour flatbread with garlic and chili, topped with cream cheese, spinach, caramelized red onion and pumpkin.
The base comes out of the oven golden and still tender, cream cheese spreads over the warm surface, and balsamic-glazed pumpkin adds a sweet, tangy touch. Farinata is a savory chickpea flour flatbread baked in a well-oiled skillet. This version gets a kick from garlic and chili, then a topping of fresh spinach, red onion and diced pumpkin. Serve it in wedges for lunch or in small bites with drinks.
What Is Farinata ?
Its name comes from the Italian word for flour. Farinata is a savory flatbread made with chickpea flour, water, olive oil and salt : the thin batter sets in the oven to form a soft base with a golden surface and a slightly nutty flavor. It is naturally gluten-free.
Here, the batter also includes garlic, chili flakes, black pepper and rosemary. The toppings go on after baking : spreadable cream cheese, spinach leaves, then red onion and pumpkin deglazed with balsamic vinegar. One serving provides 16 g of net carbs.
A Flatbread from Liguria
Farinata is most closely associated with Liguria, where it is baked in a thin layer at a very high temperature in a special pan, often made of copper. It is served plain or flavored with rosemary, with a golden surface and a base that is set but still tender.
This topped farinata keeps the chickpea base and adapts it for a home oven. A cast-iron skillet, a 24 to 25 cm ovenproof skillet, a 20 to 21 cm quiche pan or a baking pan lined with parchment paper takes the place of the traditional pan. Red onion and pumpkin give it an autumnal sweetness, balanced by balsamic vinegar.
The Main Ingredients
The batter starts with 100 g of chickpea flour and 200 ml of water, whisked together and left to rest for half an hour : the flour hydrates and the batter becomes creamier. Two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil keep it tender and add a fruity aroma. The two cloves of pressed garlic are divided between the batter and the topping, adding the same bold flavor you find in Chinese garlic noodles.
The seasoning consists of one teaspoon of rosemary, half a teaspoon of black pepper, the same amount of pink Himalayan or Celtic sea salt, and one teaspoon of chili flakes, or half a small red chili. The heat is moderate ; the same flakes form the base of this quick chili oil. A generous splash of avocado oil, mild olive oil or high-oleic sunflower oil greases the skillet, including the sides.
For the topping, one red onion and 100 g of finely diced pumpkin cook until tender in a splash of mild oil before being deglazed with balsamic vinegar. A handful of fresh spinach adds a fresh, slightly bitter note, just as it does in palak paneer. The 100 g of spreadable cream cheese, dairy or plant-based, brings everything together and adds a savory creaminess.
Cooking Tips and Serving
Preheat the oven to 180 °C, add the oil, garlic, chili, pepper and salt to the rested batter, whisk briefly again and pour into the well-oiled skillet. Allow half an hour of baking on a lower or middle rack, then about ten minutes higher up under the broiler to brown the surface ; watch closely at this stage, as it browns quickly. Meanwhile, sear the sliced onion over high heat, lower the heat, add the garlic and let it caramelize gently, as you would for French onion soup. Add the pumpkin when the farinata goes under the broiler, then deglaze with balsamic vinegar about ten minutes later.
Let cool until warm, loosen the edges and then the bottom with a spatula, and add the toppings just before serving : cream cheese, spinach, then onion and pumpkin on top. Serve in wedges with a green salad lightly dressed with lemon, or in small bites alongside other appetizers to serve with drinks. To get ahead, refrigerate the base and topping separately in airtight containers, then reheat the base in the oven or in a skillet over low heat, as the microwave makes it soft. If you have celiac disease, check the label on the chickpea flour.
Ingredients
Batter
- 100 g chickpea flour
- 200 ml water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon rosemary
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes or half a small red chili
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
- 0.5 teaspoon salt Himalayan pink or Celtic sea salt
- 1 splash oil generous; avocado, mild olive or high-oleic sunflower oil
Topping
- 1 onion red
- 100 g pumpkin diced
- 1 splash balsamic vinegar generous
- 1 handful spinach fresh
- 100 g cream cheese dairy or plant-based
- 1 splash oil avocado, mild olive or high-oleic sunflower oil
Instructions
- Mix the flour with the water, whisking vigorously for a moment to aerate. Then let rest for half an hour.100 g chickpea flour, 200 ml water
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
- The batter will now be a little creamier and airier. Add the extra virgin olive oil, pressed garlic, chili flakes, pepper and salt to taste.2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon rosemary, 1 teaspoon chili flakes, 0.5 teaspoon black pepper, 0.5 teaspoon salt
- Grease the ovenproof frying pan well with a very generous splash of mild olive oil. Don’t forget the sides! Whisk the batter again briefly. Pour the batter into the pan. Place the pan in the oven. Bake for half an hour to start, for example in a convection oven with the rack in the lower/middle position.1 splash oil
- Meanwhile, cut up the onion and sauté briefly over high heat in mild olive oil. Then lower the heat, add the pressed garlic and let caramelize for a while. While it cooks, cut the pumpkin into small cubes.1 onion, 1 splash oil, 100 g pumpkin
- Once the farinata has been in the oven for half an hour, move the rack higher and turn on the broiler. Cook for another 10 minutes to form a nice crust on top. At this point, also add the diced pumpkin to the pan with the onion. After about 10 minutes, deglaze with the balsamic vinegar.1 splash balsamic vinegar
- Remove the farinata from the oven. Let cool slightly, then loosen the edges first, followed by the bottom. Spread the farinata with the (plant-based) cream cheese. Top with spinach leaves. Spoon the onion and pumpkin over the spinach.100 g cream cheese, 1 handful spinach
