The farinata is a typical dish of Genoa, a simple food of water, extra virgen oil and chickpeas flour to try if you visit the city. The best place to eat farinata in Genoa are the typical sciamadde. These are old shops with wood-burning oven (sciamada means flamed in Genoese dialect), walls covered with classic white tiles and marble counter. Today sciamadde still exist and are the ideal place to try this tasty Genoese dish. Are a meeting place for lunch workers, mainly those from the port, and have been converted into the symbol of Genoese street food where you can enjoy over the farinata, even the typical salad cakes, cheese focaccia, stuffed vegetables, panissa and many other typical Ligurian dishes.
The history of farinata comes from far away, it is said that it was imported from Arab countries in the Middle Ages, when Genoa was the Maritime Republic and dominated the Mediterranean. The oldest information on farinata is contained in a decree of the Republic of Genoa dating back to 1447, which prohibited the use of low quality oil. Later farinata spread in many Italian regions but also outside the national borders, especially in South America: in Argentina it is called fainà, just like in the Genoese dialect.
There is the classic version, the one with cheese (gorgonzola or stracchino), artichokes, sausage, spring onion and the one with bianchetti, typical fish very famous in Ligurian cousine.
Farinata, Genoese recipe
- 0,55 lb chickpeas flour
- 26 uk fl oz water
- half glass of virgen extra oil
- pepper
- salt
Add enough salt to the chickpea flour and leave in water for at least 4 hours, mixing well until the lumps are removed. Prepare the pan by anointing the bottom with a good dose of oil and pour the mixture of water and chickpeas flour. Mix until well mixed with oil.
