Chickpea Flour

Similar to the socca—chickpea crepes—of Nice, in southern France.

Protein-rich garbanzo flour can be found at health-food grocers (such as Whole Foods).

This wholesome bread is tender and sweet enough to appeal to kids, while the toasty sesame flavor and mix of grain, nut, and legume flours will also appeal to adults. Using a small loaf pan gives the bread a better rise and a higher proportion of tasty crust. See our related story for more information and sources for gluten-free ingredients<\a>.

Crisp on the bottom and chewy in the center, this gluten-free pie gives pizzeria fare a run for its money. Feel free to vary the toppings to suit your taste (keeping in mind that processed pepperoni and even some brands of pre-grated cheese may contain gluten, so read ingredients carefully.) This recipe makes two 10-inch pies—perfect for two very hungry people or two to three pretty hungry people. For easy weeknight meals, make a double recipe of the baked crusts and freeze some to top and broil when you need them. See our related story for more information and sources for gluten-free ingredients.

Frigitterie, found all over Palermo, means things fried, and the selections are endless. Breaded eggplant, broccoli, artichokes—all of the vegetables in season are coated with a flour paste (pastella) and find their way into a fryer. In Palermo, one of the undisputed specialties is panella, made of chickpea flour and cooked like polenta, chilled, and then cut into thick slices that are fried in olive oil. Fried panelle are eaten as is, or multiple slices are piled in a sesame bun and enjoyed as a big sandwich. Panelle can make a great accompaniment to fish or meat, but everybody loves them passed around as an hors d'oeuvre. Convenient to prepare in advance, they can be cooked up in a big batch, left to cool in the sheet pan, then refrigerated for up to 3 days. You can cut out a few panelle and fry them for a snack or side dish whenever you want. If you're serving bite-sized panelle for a cocktail party, I suggest you fry all the pieces ahead of time and keep them warm in the oven before your guests arrive.

This is a popular street food in Sicily, especially in Palermo, where warm panelle are served between two pieces of country bread.

(Chick-Pea Flatbread with Sage)

Figs' — of Boston, MA — farinata is very similar to Niçois socca, chickpea-flour cakes with a distinct, nutty flavor. Serve the wedges alongside any green salad.

Even though they are most often associated with the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, potato pancakes have a year-round appeal. Here they are given a Middle Eastern twist with the addition of flour made from chick-peas - the dominant flavor in falafel - as well as chilis, herbs and spices. Pour a dry white wine. For dessert, present fruit and some halvah. Chick-pea flour is available at Middle Eastern and Indian markets.

Ever since R.C Van Dyne from Wilmington, NC tasted farinata in Alessandria, Italy, he has been wanting to make it. We obtained this recipe from Rose Pistola restaurant in San Francisco, where they serve their own farinata. Farinata is a thin, crisp, pizzalike pancake made from chick-pea flour. When we called Rose Pistola, we were thrilled to learn that the recipe had already been reworked for the home cook by Peggy Knickerbocker, coauthor with chef Reed Hearon of The Rose Pistola Cookbook: 140 Recipes from San Francisco's Favorite North Beach Restaurant (out October, 1999 from Broadway Books). The following recipe makes three farinata, but they must be baked one at a time. We suggest opening a bottle of wine, hanging out in the kitchen with friends, and eating the farinata as they come out of the oven. For best results, use a 10-inch seasoned cast-iron round griddle, about 3/8-inch deep, that can hold about 1 cup batter. Farinata can be made in a regular cast-iron skillet, but it won't be quite as crisp or easy to remove.

A crisp, gluten-free snack that pairs well especially well with drinks, these cheesy panisse have the perfect custardy texture and buttery flavor.

Inspired by Indian bhajia, these actually crispy fritters feature a hint of coconut for a subtle sweetness. 

This is a rare case in which just one crispy, veggie-packed pakora IS indeed enough. 

This battered and deep-fried potato patty on a bun is the carb-on-carb-on-carb snack of our dreams.

With a little help from a bag of chickpea flour, you can turn any vegetables in the fridge into an impressive meal.

Crispy, fried bhajia are a popular snack across India, and chef Preeti Mistry’s version makes the most of spring produce.

This recipe covers pretty much all of our working-from-home lunch criteria: it’s cheesy, packed with greens and protein, and topped with hot sauce.

This recipe gives off major chicken-soup vibes but is entirely vegetarian—and you don’t have to simmer vegetables or cheese rinds for hours to get there. The lightning-fast broth gets its flavor from caramelized miso and nutritional yeast (a trick we picked up from Bay Area cookbook author and food writer Andrea Nguyen). The gluten-free dumplings are soft on the outside and pleasantly chewy on the inside. 

We really went for it here, drawing on the flavor and texture of idli podi (a coarsely ground spice mixture that also goes by the name “gunpowder spice”) to create a gluten-free version of craggy-crunchy fried chicken. Our version swaps chickpea flour and sesame seeds for wheat flour, and, once fried, we dust it with lime zest, coconut, and crushed red pepper flakes. Be sure to fry the chicken to a deep brown to create superior crunch and coax out the nutty flavors of the chickpea flour and sesame seeds. And don’t skip the honey: It will balance out all the bold flavors.