Liguria — Genova
Genoa's chickpea polenta — a preparation almost identical to Tuscan cecina but served differently: farina di ceci cooked in water with olive oil until thick and smooth, then poured into an oiled flat tray to set into a firm, sliceable slab. Cooled panissa is cut into slices, wedges, or cubes and served cold as street food, in focaccia bread, or fried in abundant olive oil until golden and crisp on the outside with a creamy interior. The genovese tradition eats panissa from vendors who sell it wrapped in paper.
Smooth creamy chickpea, olive oil richness, slightly mineral finish — simple, satisfying, the defining Genovese street food experience
{"Farina di ceci: fine-milled (not coarse) chickpea flour — a single variety, not a blend; the ratio is 1 part flour to 3 parts water","Whisk constantly in the early stages: the chickpea flour clumps rapidly on contact with hot water; prevent this with constant stirring for the first 10 minutes","Cook 45 minutes over low heat, stirring frequently: the flour must fully hydrate and the starch must gelatinise — under-cooked panissa remains grainy","Pour into an oiled tray at 1–1.5cm thickness — set at room temperature for 1 hour, then refrigerate until firm before cutting","For serving cold: drizzle raw olive oil and a few leaves of wild onion or spring onion over the cold slices"}
{"A pinch of rosemary infused in the hot water before adding the flour — the rosemary oil perfumes the panissa subtly","Fried panissa: cut cold panissa into 1.5cm cubes and fry at 175°C until golden all over — it forms a crisp exterior while remaining creamy inside; a spectacular street food preparation","For panissa in focaccia: Genovese tradition cuts panissa slices into focaccia bread (with the panissa at room temperature, not hot)","Season with sea salt only at service — salting during cooking draws moisture and prevents proper setting"}
{"Coarse chickpea flour — produces a grainy, never-smooth result","Short cooking — the starch must fully gelatinise; under-cooked panissa crumbles when cut","Too-thin tray spreading — panissa less than 1cm thick is too fragile to slice cleanly","Cold water added to roux instead of warm — causes instant lumping"}
La Cucina di Genova — Enza Campodonico (Sagep Editore)