Chickpea Bread Calentita is a
simple unleavened bread made from chickpea flour and olive oil. It has
been eaten in Gibraltar for generations but became particularly warm
during the post-war period. Of identical ingredients to Genoese
fainâ, it is said to have been brought to Gibraltar by Genoese
immigrants in the early 18th century. As the story goes, it acquired
its name as street vendors would peddle it by calling "calentitaaaa,"
meaning "warm". Another possibility is that Spanish soldiers introduced
it to Algeria in the 17th century - where the dish is still known as
"calentica" and then Maghrebi Jews brought it to Gibraltar in the next
century. Be it as it may, it became one of Gibraltar's national dishes.
As it happens, fainá is also very popular in Argentina, my
home country, where it's sold in pizzerias and eaten alongside pizza
(don't ask me why). I, personally, have never had it but I made besan
pudla, a Gujarati pancake with similar ingredients, not too long
ago. I was just as underwhelmed by the calentita as I had been by the
pudla. Perhaps it's about technique, or perhaps it's because I don't
like chickpeas that much. My daughter, who does, felt the problem was
the Parmesan cheese (which is not traditional but I added it for extra
flavor), which made it too dry.
Adapted from a recipe at Gastronomía y una Pizca |