WHAT IS FARINATA?
Farinata is a savoury Italian pancake made from just chickpea flour, water, extra virgin olive oil and salt. It bakes into something crisp and golden on the outside and soft, almost custardy, in the middle. No wheat, no eggs, no dairy — so it is naturally gluten-free and vegan, though nobody eats it because of that.
WHERE IT COMES FROM
Farinata belongs to Liguria, on the Italian Riviera, where it is baked in wide copper pans in wood-fired ovens and sold by the slice. Cross the border into France and the same batter becomes socca in Nice. In Tuscany you will hear cecina, and in Sardinia fainè. It is street food: cheap, filling and eaten warm, standing up.
WHAT IT TASTES LIKE
Nutty and gently earthy from the chickpea flour, rich from the olive oil, with a savoury edge from the salt. The texture is the point: a thin crisp shell giving way to a soft, creamy centre. It is closer to a very thin frittata than to a crêpe or a flatbread.
HOW TO EAT IT
In Liguria it is eaten plain, with a crack of black pepper, as a snack or alongside a drink. It also works as a base for a proper meal — treat it the way you would a flatbread:
- On its own, warm, with black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.
- With a spread — hummus, pepper cream, pesto — and something crunchy on top.
- Topped with roasted vegetables, olives and herbs for lunch.
- Cut into strips as an aperitivo snack, next to dips.
Our recipes page has topping ideas we make ourselves, with step-by-step methods.
HOW TO REHEAT IT
Farinata is best warm. Reheat it in a dry frying pan over medium heat for two to three minutes a side, or in an oven or air fryer at around 180°C for five minutes, until the edges crisp again. Avoid the microwave — it softens the crust that makes farinata worth eating.
IS FARINATA GLUTEN-FREE AND VEGAN?
Yes, by recipe rather than by substitution. Chickpea flour carries protein and fibre, and there is no wheat, egg or dairy in a traditional batter. That is why it suits almost every table without anyone having to eat a special version of dinner.
FARINATA VS SOCCA VS CECINA
Same batter, different postcode. Socca (Nice) is usually baked thinner and darker, served in ragged pieces. Cecina (Tuscany) and fainè (Sardinia) are regional names for the Ligurian original. Any recipe for one will work for the others.
TRY OUR FARINATA
Freshly made in small batches with chickpea flour, extra virgin olive oil and sea salt.