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1
Oil two shallow round plates or a rectangular tin. Whisk the chickpea flour into the cold water — never into hot liquid — until no dry clumps remain. Add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, the crushed garlic, and the rosemary sprig. The batter should be entirely smooth and fluid.
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2
Pour the mixture into a heavy saucepan and set over medium heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon, working the bottom and sides of the pan without pause, for 15–20 minutes. This is where the dish lives or dies: the paste must thicken to a dense, smooth porridge that pulls cleanly away from the sides of the pan and holds its shape when a spoonful is dropped back in — too thin and it will not set firm enough to fry without crumbling; too thick and the interior will be stodgy rather than creamy.
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3
Remove and discard the garlic and rosemary. Immediately pour the hot paste into the prepared moulds to a depth of exactly 1–1.5 cm — no deeper. Smooth the surface with a wet spatula. Leave at room temperature for a minimum of 2 hours, until the panisse is completely firm and a knife pressed into the surface meets clean resistance.
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4
Turn out the set panisse onto a board and cut into batons, rounds, or triangles of uniform thickness. Heat olive oil in a deep pan to 160°C. Fry the pieces in batches for 4 minutes, turning once, until cooked through. Lift out and drain on a rack — the crust will be pale gold and just beginning to firm.
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5
Raise the oil to 190°C. Return the drained pieces to the pan and fry for a further 2 minutes until deeply golden on all surfaces. The exterior should shatter at the touch of a fingernail while the interior remains creamy and almost custardy. Drain briefly, season at once with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.