Silvia Colloca's Chickpea Flat Bread

MAKES 3 (VEGAN. VEGETARIAN. GRAIN FREE. GLUTEN FREE. DAIRY FREE. NUT FREE. NO ADDED SUGAR)

Farinata is a spectacular example of both Italian frugality and creativity – a few unpretentious ingredients that come together to produce a wonderfully healthy bread, rich in protein and bursting with flavour. This is a crowd pleaser that will send your gluten-free friends gaga at the mere scent of it baking in the oven. Any leftovers will keep for a day or so in an airtight container, but I would suggest you reheat them to fully appreciate the aroma of the chickpea flour combined with extra virgin olive oil. On this point, please try to use the best oil you can get your hands on as it will have a direct effect on the flavour of your farinata.

INGREDIENTS
350ml warm water
1⅔ cups (250 g) chickpea flour (besan)
salt flakes
100ml extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to season the pan
freshly ground white pepper
1 teaspoon rosemary leaves

METHOD
Pour the water into a bowl and slowly whisk in the chickpea flour until smooth. Add 1 tablespoon salt and 3 tablespoons olive oil to the batter and skim any foam off the surface using a slotted spoon. Stand at room temperature for a minimum of 4 hours, or overnight.

Preheat your oven to 220°C (200°C fan-forced).

Heat a 24 cm cast-iron skillet in the oven for 10 minutes. Alternatively use a shallow baking tray, preferably non-stick.

Carefully add 2 tablespoons of the oil to the hot skillet, swirling to coat the base evenly. Pour in some of the batter to a depth of about 1.5 cm. Cook the batter in batches to make sure you keep the flatbreads quite thin. This quantity of batter normally yields three flatbreads.

Place in the oven and bake for 25–30 minutes or until crisp around the edges. Before cooking the second and third batch, add a little more oil to the pan. The batter will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days if you don’t want to cook it all at once.

Slide the farinata onto a board and cool for 10 minutes, then cut into wedges or squares. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and rosemary and serve hot or warm.

LA DOLCE VITA (OUT NOW)
Professional actress and opera singer, food blogger and cook Silvia Colloca has struggled to see why Italian cuisine is viewed as an unhealthy, carb-heavy indulgence since moving to Australia. La Dolce Vita is a response to this, correcting the misconception with over 80 authentic and nutritious recipes that align with the true Italian cooking culture that the Mediterranean diet is based upon. No need for zucchini spaghetti or cauliflower parmesan here – Silvia’s simple, fresh and sustainable recipes are made to be enjoyed by everyone.

After spending her childhood in the kitchens of her mother and grandmothers, Silvia absorbed much of their Italian culinary heritage, and she has kneaded, beaten, rolled, chopped and pounded her way to an authentic Italian identity in her Sydney kitchen. Silvia's first cookbook, Silvia's Cucina, was published in 2013, and her second book, Made in Italy with Silvia Colloca, published in 2014, in conjunction with her debut television series of the same name.