There’s nothing more Mediterranean than a dish based on chickpea flour – served across the world from Morocco to Spain, from Sicily to the French Riviera: all with different names, though the form and varieties are similar at heart. In Liguria, where it is commonly known as farinata, there is not only a yellow version featuring chickpeas, but there’s also a white version made with wheat, though the latter is much less known.
To enjoy both yellow and white farinata to the fullest (and other fried Ligurian specialties), you’ll need to go to one of the age-old sciammade of Savona – where they serve farinata as it should be served: with wine.
Vino e farinata, since 1856
The word sciamadda literally translates to "flamed,” but in Liguria, it refers to eateries and shops with large ovens, woody aromas and the smells of fried food floating through the air: where traditional gachas are prepared and sold. The producers of farinata are traditionally called fainòtti in the Ligurian dialect (or farinotti in standard Italian), just like the Parodi family who opened the first-ever sciamadda at the end of the nineteenth century, carrying on the tradition for generations to come. In 1978, the management of the family’s venue was passed to Giorgio Del Grande until 2016, when it passed into the hands of the current owners: Luca Tortarolo, Andrea Zampino and his mother, Mrs. Tiziana Calandrone.
Socca, calentita, cecina, panelle and belécauda
The savory pancake made with chickpea flour, water, salt and oil seems to trace the borders of the Mediterranean, even if it's a bit thin: in the Côte d'Azur, and particularly in Nice, they call it the socca, in Gibraltar and Morocco, the calentita; in Sicily, panelle (or the panisse liguri); in Tuscany, it’s called the cecina, while in Piedmont, they call it the belécauda and so on and so forth until we finally reach Liguria’s farinata, or better yet, the fainâ as they say in Ligurian dialect (and in Sardegna, as well) to refer to the local white version. According to legend, sacks of chickpeas and flour were spilled during a storm on a Genoese ship. These sacks dried in the sun after the storm had passed, giving life to a (albeit very basic) version of the current day farinata that the sailors ate due to growing hunger and a lack of resources on board. And today, the story of farinata continues on both sea and land – in Genoa’s kitchens and across the Mediterranean.
White wheat flour
White gachas, on the other hand, are much less famous and widespread than the yellow farinata. In fact, this recipe can only be found in Savona. There are various hypotheses about its birth, but the most accredited claims say that it was invented around 1528 in the Savona area, when the city was under Genoese rule and taxes were issued on chickpea flour. So, in Savona, they began to prepare it only with wheat to substitute the chickpea flour: this is how we know that white gachas have a more recent origin than the recipe with yellow chickpea flour (though, according to other sources, the story is just the opposite). What we do know for certain is that even when the taxes on chickpea flour were removed in Savona, they continued to prepare it in the same way: with high quality 00 flour (without added gluten) that is mixed with water and salt then poured on a pan covered with oil. The most important thing to remember when you’re making white gachas is to pour the right amount of dough onto the pan of oil, but only expert bakers like Luca and Andrea di Vino and other true fainòtti know this: "Only in this way can it come as it should: where it is soft underneath, crunchy on top, not raw inside and well cooked; in short, [it has] the right consistency.”
Moreover, Luca reveals to us that the secret is to use a certain type of wood and cook it at 750°F; for this reason, when you make the farinata, you can’t put it in the same oven with pizza. Di Vino’s favorite versions of the white farinata are versions with formaggetta cheese or raw ham. And the ideal wine pairing recommended to go with farinata? A nice glass of rosé.
Tortelasso, or turtellassu
In reality, though, when you’re in Liguria, you don’t have to choose between white and yellow farinata – because there is a third option. In fact, the story goes that when they removed the taxes on chickpeas, they began to prepare the gachas with a mix of the two flours, giving rise to what is now called tortelasso. The result is somewhere in the middle between chickpeas and wheat gachas; tortelasso is very similar to both, and you can request it to order. The dish will almost certainly be served with cod, the combination preferred by Luca and Andrea.
Specialties Served Wednesdays and Thursdays
Every Wednesday, Luca and Andrea offer wheat and chickpea gachas in different variations like rosemary, gorgonzola, sausage or onion. On Thursdays, though, the evening is dedicated to the rediscovery of ancient Ligurian recipes such as tomaxelle (meat rolls stuffed with Ligurian herbs and white polenta); stockfish or cuttlefish buridda with potatoes and peas; or stuffed sardines, a dish that’s always on the menu along with other Ligurian fish and meat classics. But wine and farinata remains a nostalgic dish served upon request; on order, Luca and Andrea will prepare anything with pleasure – especially if it’s part of Ligurian tradition.
Vino e Farinata - Via Pia 15, Savona