Crispy Baked Rosemary Chickpea Squares
Golden oven-baked chickpea polenta squares with rosemary and lemon—crisp edges, creamy centers, all plant protein.
Best for A satisfying between-meals bite with plant protein and fiber to steady your energy
This is farinata reimagined as a snackable square: you cook chickpea flour into a thick, savory polenta, chill it firm, then cut and bake it until the edges crackle and the middle stays tender. It's the kind of thing Ligurian cooks have made for centuries, and it happens to be vegan, gluten-free, and quietly loaded with protein and fiber. Serve them warm with a squeeze of lemon—they beat any bag of chips and actually keep you full.
Ingredients
- 200 g Chickpea flour , sifted
- 750 ml water , cold
- 45 ml olive oil , divided
- 2 g fresh rosemary , leaves finely chopped, about 1 tablespoon
- 2 garlic cloves , cloves, finely grated
- 6 g fine sea salt
- 1 g black pepper , freshly ground
- 1 lemon , cut into wedges, for serving
- 2 g fine sea salt , for finishing (optional – can be omitted)
Instructions
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1
In a medium saucepan off the heat, whisk the chickpea flour into the cold water a little at a time until completely smooth with no lumps. Whisk in 15 ml of the olive oil, the garlic, fine sea salt, and pepper. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes so the flour hydrates.
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2
Set the pan over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens into a stiff, glossy polenta that pulls away from the sides of the pan, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the chopped rosemary in the last minute. Scrape into a parchment-lined 20 cm square pan, smooth the top flat, and chill until firm, at least 45 minutes (or up to overnight).
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3
Heat the oven to 220°C. Lift the set slab out by the parchment and cut into 16 squares. Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet with space between them, brush the tops with the remaining 30 ml olive oil, and bake until deep golden and crisp at the edges, 25 to 30 minutes, flipping once at the halfway mark.
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4
Let the squares firm up for 5 minutes—they crisp further as they cool. Finish with flaky salt and serve warm with lemon wedges for squeezing over.