Cecina — Chickpea Flatbread
Tuscans call this healthy street food cecina, Ligurians insist it's farinata, and if you’re Pisano it’s torta di ceci. It’s also one of the easiest things you’ll ever make—five minutes to prep, let it rest and toss it in the oven.
This chickpea flatbread has been around since Roman times. Legend has it that soldiers accidentally invented it when they got caught in the rain with chickpea rations on their shields. The sun did the rest, and voila - ancient fast food was born.
I whipped this up using the first summer zucchini and rosemary straight from my rooftop garden. There's something about the aroma of rosemary baking in the summer sun to inspire you to make your favorite comfort food, especially when you're craving a simple Italian summer.
This dish is basically a nutritional powerhouse disguised as comfort food:
- Chickpea flour: protein-packed and gluten-free
- Zucchini: low-cal, high in vitamins A and C
- Rosemary: anti-inflammatory and great for digestion
Ingredients
- 150g chickpea flour
- 450ml water
- 2 medium zucchini (or anything you feel like)
- Extra virgin olive oil, to taste
- 1 teaspoon salt (plus more to draw out water from zucchini)
- Black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped (optional)
METHOD
1. Mix chickpea flour, water, and salt in a bowl. Whisk vigorously for a couple of minutes to avoid lumps. Cover and let rest for two hours.
2. Meanwhile, grate the zucchini in a large hole grater, salt it, and let it drain in a colander.
3. After two hours, squeeze water from zucchini and add to the batter along with chopped rosemary.
4. Pour into an oiled 30cm baking tray.
5. Season with black pepper and a generous drizzle of olive oil.
6. Bake at 190°C (375°F) for 45 minutes until golden.
It's simple to make, yummy, and perfect for seasonal eating. Swap in pretty much any vegetables and herbs you have on hand. A little parmigiano reggiano sprinkled on top before you bake it takes it up a notch, too!
Stay cool, eat well, and enjoy the simple pleasures of summer cooking. Trust me, you'll fall in love with this one.