Get Premium access to all the latest content online
Subscribe and view full print editions online... Subscribe
Farinatas (gram flour pancakes) with pesto and sea salt and rosemary and red onions
Makes 2 X 24CM Starters and mains
Ingredients
- 1 litre sparkling water
- 2tsp cooking salt
- 300g gram flour, sifted
- 100ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 red onion, quartered and sliced into ultra-thin slivers
- 2 sprigs rosemary
For the basil pesto
- 50g pine nuts
- 50g parmesan, finely grated
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 75g basil leaves
- 125ml extra virgin olive oil
Method
Pour the sparkling water into a bowl and add the salt, gram flour and 11⁄2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Whisk to form a thick batter. Leave the mixture at room temperature for 4-5 hours or overnight so it can start fermenting.
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. To make the pesto, heat a small frying pan over a medium-high heat and add the pine nuts. Cook to brown evenly. Keep a few for garnish and place the rest in a blender with the parmesan, garlic, basil leaves and some salt and pepper. Whizz briefly and with the motor still running, gradually pour in the oil
to make a smooth pesto.
Heat a large ovenproof frying pan over a medium-high heat. Brush the base with olive oil. Pour in some batter until no more than 7mm thick and swirl it around. Cook for 1-2 minutes then scatter over the red onion and rosemary.
Place the farinata in the oven for 10-12 minutes. Repeat with the remaining mixture, and spread with 4-5 tablespoons of pesto and top with the pine nuts. Sprinkle with sea salt and slice both serve.
Advertisement