panisse
Serve these fried chickpea slices from Liguria with drinks or as part of an antipasti.
for 6–8
300 g new season chickpea flour
1 litre warm water
Maldon salt
sunflower oil for deep-frying
Sieve the chickpea flour into a large bowl and slowly pour in the warm water, whisking all the time to make sure that no lumps form. Add 1 tablespoon salt.
Pour into a medium, thick-bottomed saucepan, and heat, stirring, until the mixture comes to the boil. Reduce the heat and continue to cook, stirring as much as you can, as it will become very thick. Cook for 40–50 minutes or until the mixture comes away from the sides of the pan, just like polenta. Spoon on to a flat plate, to a thickness of about 1–2 cm, and leave to cool and set firm.
Preheat the oil to 190°C/375°F. Cut the panisse into finger-like slices and deep-fry in the hot oil until golden. Drain on kitchen paper and serve sprinkled with salt.