Ligurian Farinata (Savory Italian Pancake or Flatbread)

Every Italian region has its comfort food, its local dish imbued with memories, tradition, and nostalgia. In Liguria, the region flanking Genoa along Italy's northwest coast, that dish is Farinata. A deceptively simply street food, Farinata is somewhat like a large chickpea crepe. Crisp and golden on the top, soft and moist on the inside, glistening with fragrant olive oil on the bottom, Farinata is a finger-lickin' food that nourishes the soul. Farinata, just like pizza, can be stuffed or garnished with any vegetable, cheese, or sauce; Or it can be eaten plain, right out of the oven! Thanks to the Fabulous Food, Fun & Friends #1 Game for aiding in finding and bringing this fabulous recipe to light!!! Parchment paper will help keep this from sticking.

• Ready In: 23 mins
• Serves: 1
• Yields: 1 Farinata

Ingredients

• 2⁄3 cup  italian chickpea flour
• 4  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 3⁄4 cup mineral water
•  rosemary (optional)

Directions

1. In a large bowl, add the flour to the water, a little at a time, mixing and seasoning with salt until all of the flour and water has been absorbed; Add Optional Rosemary at this point.
2. Let it rest for 4 hours (Or even better overnight).
3. After this time, a layer of foam will have developed on the surface - Scrape it off with a spoon.
4. Add the olive oil and remove the Rosemary (Optional) - Stir until all the Oil is absorbed.
5. Pour into an olive oil well greased baking pan - the right one is called testo, made of "tinned copper" It should be about an eighth of an inch thick, perhaps a little more - a small deep dish Pizza pan will do (We used an iron skillet).
6. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
7. Remove from the oven when one of the corners (or the edge) starts to appear dark and has turned a golden color.
8. Sprinkle plenty of pepper and eat immediately.
9. ***It is of paramount importance that the pan is perfectly flat and level when in the oven, otherwise one of the corners will be thicker and will be undercooked when the opposite corner starts to darken. It tends to stick if you do not use enough oil. Also use parchment paper.