Tomato & Onion Chickpea Farinata

Oo la la. Look at me getting all fancy with some European food.

I recently read “Feeding the Hungry Ghost” and it lit a culinary fire under my ass. After having lost some steam in the kitchen prepping for, and returning from, vacation, this book gave me some fantastic inspiration. Although I had been looking for more of a witty vegan book with somewhat of a story line rather than just featuring recipes, I found some pretty awesome meals in “Hungry Ghost”. The author is so unbelievably passionate about her cooking, and every meal she writes about has an emotional story/lesson behind it. I’d been lacking that, and it was making for less than pleasant times in the kitchen. If you aren’t putting good, thoughtful energy into prepping a meal, chances are the end results will not be so fulfilling.

I was inspired and reinvigorated after I finished the book, and felt like I should test out one of the recipes she mentioned and see what it did for my soul. And these farinatas, although hers were much simpler, were exactly what I’d been needing.

They’re super basic, but very rich and filling. Sounds strange, but using such down-to-earth spices and vegetables made for tranquil time in the kitchen. I took my time, didn’t let the mess I was making bother me and was mindful of the entire process.

So I can’t say for sure if they’re delicious because of the flavor, or because of the energy I put into it. Either way, I am a big fan, and look forward to more variations of these. I made some lemon and dill rice to go with them, but they’re also nice for breakfast. They’ve got the consistency of a massive pancake and the texture and taste of a frittata (weird, I know).

And PLEASE read “Feeding the Hungry Ghost” if you haven’t already!

2 cups chickpea flour

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup olive oil, plus 1 tbsp

2 tomatoes, chopped

2 cups fresh spinach, chopped

1 yellow onion, chopped

3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper powder

1/4 tsp black pepper

• Whisk together chickpea flour and water until well blended
• Stir in 1/2 cup olive oil until everything is combined
• Cover and let sit in the fridge for one hour
• Meanwhile, cook onions in a heavy skillet in 1 tbsp oil over medium heat for 10 minutes or until beginning to brown
• Add garlic, tomatoes and spinach and cook for 3 more minutes
• Remove from heat and let cool
• After the mix has settled for an hour, stir in salt, black pepper, turmeric and cayenne powder and pour into skillet with the vegetables, stirring slightly so that the vegetables are well distributed
• Turn the oven broiler on low heat and place the oven rack close to the top
• Place the skillet under the broiler for 10 minutes (broilers seem to vary so check it as it bakes-you want the top golden brown, not burned)
• After browned, continue cooking at 450 degrees for 8-10 more minutes
• Remove from oven, let cool, and serve in slices with rice