Farinata or socca is a thin, unleavened crepe made from chickpea flour. Originally from Genoa, farinata became a typical food from Nice to Sardinia, where it was typically cooked in a wood oven.
Ingredients
Farinata batter
Method
1.To make farinata batter, blend all ingredients with 1 tsp salt in a blender until smooth. Transfer to a jug, cover and set aside at room temperature to rest (30 minutes).
2.Heat 1cm oil in a large, deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Add chickpeas and stir continuously until crisp and golden (2-3 minutes). Add paprika and chilli, and stir until fragrant (1 minute). Remove with a slotted spoon into a bowl and season to taste.
3.Preheat grill to high. Add 1½ tbsp oil to a 25cm heavy-based oven-proof frying pan (ideally cast iron) and place on a low shelf in the oven to heat (5 minutes).
4.Meanwhile, place tomatoes on a tray, drizzle with 1 tbsp oil and season; place under grill and cook until starting to blister (5 minutes). Remove and set aside.
5.When frying pan for farinata is very hot, carefully add half of the batter, swirl to cover base and place under grill. Cook until edges are starting to crisp and golden (6 minutes). Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining batter, adding extra oil to the pan.
6.Serve farinata topped with avocado, tomatoes, chickpeas and watercress, with lemon wedges on the side.
