This recipe was just something I whipped up on the weekend with a bunch of asparagus and shredded gouda. Farinata is a simple dish made from chickpea flour and comes out as kind of a cross between a custardy pancake and a quiche, but is egg-free, gluten-free and vegetarian. It can easily be made vegan through the addition of a vegan cheese substitute. The mix-in possibilities are endless, and you can eat this for any meal. I consider this a kind of spring version of the dish.
On to the recipe!
- 2 cup chickpea flour
- 3 1/2 cups water
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 cup olive oil + 2-3 for cooking and getting pan ready
- a bunch of asparagus, woody ends removed, chopped into half inch pieces (about 2 cups)
- 1 onion, chopped
- freshly ground pepper
- 1 1/2 cup shredded gouda
Whisk together the chickpea flour, water, sea salt and first quantity of olive oil. Add in a few grinds of pepper. Set aside while you prepare the vegetables. The mixture should thicken slightly in this time.
In the meantime, cook your vegetables (you can do this ahead of time, or prior to assembling in the cast iron pan). Add a couple of tablespoons or so of oil to your cast iron pan over medium heat. Add asparagus and onion. Cook until asparagus has softened and the onion is started to caramelize. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside to cool slightly.
Add a tablespoon or so of oil to a cast iron pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix vegetables and cheese into the chickpea batter, then add to pan. Bake for about 50 minutes to an hour or until set and golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool before cutting into wedges and serving (can be served immediately, but is a bit easier to remove from pan once cooler).
If you like this recipe, be sure to try my Smoked Cheddar and Beet Green Farinata and my Caramelized Fennel and Onion Farinata.
Sugar n' Stuff 