FRITTATA FARINATA
This is a spin on my Farinata recipe, recreating it as a frittata that just happens to be vegan, making it an excellent alternative for anyone who needs to avoid eggs. One pan and super tasty, it’s an ideal summer crowd pleaser that goes down well served as part of a seasonal spread. I’ve already given the original recipe an Ayurvedic twist as the Farinata — traditionally a chickpea batter — is now a chickpea-rice batter. Chickpeas are said to be high in protein as they contain nearly every single amino acid except one, which makes them an incomplete protein so this is one of the reasons for adding rice flour. When we combine grains with legumes like beans and lentils, and in this case chickpea, a complete protein is born. You’ll find this in a lot of Ayurveda, for example with Kitchari.
This delicious roasted custard, crispy on the outside and smooth on the inside, is at its best when the veggies are kept chunky, so I’ve only lightly sautéed big chunks of courgette which I’ve teamed with peas, leeks, parsley and, just as with my Farinata, I love adding ajwain — another name for carom seed which is a spice I’ve only just got to know in recent years. Just as with any frittata the ingredient options are endless and the chickpea-rice base can really take big flavours. I’ve suggested some of my favourite combinations below but I’d love to see what twists you give to your own versions, so share and tag me on Instagram @jasminehemsley.
INGREDIENTS
Serves 3-4 with sides
For the batter
100g chickpea flour
100g rice flour
500ml warm water
50ml extra virgin olive oil
¼ tsp sea salt
For the filling
½ cup peas
1 small leek/half a large leek
1 medium large courgette
25g parsley
1 tsp ajwain
½ tbsp of ghee or your favourite cooking oil
Optional toppings
A few sliced olives or sundried tomatoes or preserved lemon
Parmesan or pecorino
To serve: chutney, sauerkraut, pickle or red pepper pesto
METHOD
The night before: In a large bowl, whisk the chickpea flour and rice flour with the sea salt and water to form a thin smooth batter. Cover and leave to rest on the counter overnight.
To start cooking, prep the vegetables first. Slice the leeks and chop the courgette into 1-inch chunks (I sliced the courgette into 1.5-2 cm thick rounds and then cut each slice into 4). Wash and rough chop the parsley.
Heat the oven to 240°C/220°C fan and whisk the extra virgin olive oil into the batter.
Heat a teaspoon of ghee in a large cast iron pan (I use a 25 cm diametre pan) over a medium-high heat. Add the ajwain, allow it to splutter, and then sauté the leeks until starting to soften. Add the courgette and continue to cook over a medium-high heat for three minutes. Add the peas and cook for another three minutes, then fold in half of the parsley. Add another teaspoon of ghee and turn the pan up to a high heat, then pour roughly a third of the batter into the pan and swirl quickly to coat the base until bubbling. Pour in the rest of the batter, then transfer to the oven and bake for 15 minutes or so until golden on top and browned at the edges but still soft in the middle.
To serve, spoon over red pesto or top with a dollop of chutney and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle over the rest of the chopped parsley and some freshly ground black pepper and your choice of toppings.
East by West tips:
I make a little gap in the centre of the pan of veggies before adding the batter as I find that leaving it veggie-free makes it easier to slice.
Flavour ideas: garlic, olives and sundried tomatoes, cumin with preserved lemon and coriander leaves, goats cheese with beetroot and cumin
For more chickpea flour/gram recipes, take a look at my: