Farinata with Orange Salad & Prosciutto

Italians just do salads better (even in winter). This one is hearty enough for dinner thanks to an easy-to-make crispy chickpea pancake and salty, creamy La Quercia smoked prosciutto.

Active: 15 mins

Total: 25 mins

What You Get

Chickpea flour
Fennel
Spring onions
Pitted Castelvetrano olives
Cara Cara oranges
Arugula
Avocado
La Quercia prosciutto

What You’ll Need
Olive oil
Salt
Red wine vinegar (white wine vinegar or lemon also will work well)

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 450°, and place a 10-12 inch cast-iron pan or other non-stick pan in the oven to heat. (If you don’t have a 10-12 inch inch pan, use a smaller one! Just be sure the batter is no more than ½-inch thick in Step 3).

Step 2: In a small bowl, mix chickpea flour, 4 tablespoons olive oil, 1½ cups water, and 1 teaspoon salt. Whisk well until no clumps remain.

Step 3: Carefully remove the hot pan from the oven, and pour a good amount of olive oil into the pan so it coats the bottom entirely. Pour the batter into the oiled pan (it will sizzle!) and transfer back into the oven.

Step 4: Bake for 20 minutes, or until the edges and top are golden brown and crispy, and the middle of the pancake is set (it shouldn’t jiggle when you move the pan).

Step 5: Meanwhile, remove the fennel tops and outer layer of fennel. Cut in half lengthwise and slice the fennel as thinly as possible. Slice the spring onion (use only as much as you’d like in a salad) and coarsely chop the olives. Place everything in a medium bowl with a pinch of salt, a splash of red wine vinegar and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Mix gently.

Step 6: Peel the orange with your knife: cut the top and bottom off to keep the orange stable on the cutting board and carefully saw the knife back and forth from the top to the bottom around the orange just below the white pith (it’s okay if you miss some of the white skin). Slice the orange into rounds (as seen in the photo) and toss with the rest of the salad. Toss in the arugula and fold a few times so as not to wilt the greens too much. Finally, open the avocado and scoop out the halves onto the cutting board. Slice and place on top of the salad.

Step 7: Remove the farinata from the oven, and let cool for 5 minutes.

Step 8: Serve the pancake in wedges or more traditional squares with the salad and slices of La Quercia Speck. Eat everything on its own or all together—good Italian food is about quality ingredients and letting things meld together!