Panisses

Step 1: Oil a 20 × 30 cm tray. In a bowl, whisk 9 oz chickpea flour (gram flour) into half the 4 ¼ cups cold water until there are no lumps.

Step 2: Bring the rest of the water to the boil in a heavy pan with 1 tsp salt and 2 tbsp olive oil. Pour in the chickpea batter, whisking all the time.

Step 3: Turn the heat to medium-low and cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon and reaching into the corners, until very thick and the mixture pulls away from the sides like stiff polenta. Common mistake: taking it off the heat too early; under-cooked batter never sets properly and the fingers fall apart in the oil.

Step 4: Pour into the tray, smooth it to about 1.5 cm thick and leave to cool. Then chill for at least 1 hour, until firm enough to cut cleanly.

Step 5: Turn the slab out and cut into fingers about 1.5 cm wide and 8 cm long.

Step 6: Heat 1 ¼ cups sunflower oil about 1 cm deep in a frying pan until a cube of bread browns in 30 seconds (350°F). Fry the panisses in batches, without crowding, for 3–4 minutes a side, until golden and blistered.

Step 7: Drain on kitchen paper and sprinkle at once with ½ tsp flaky sea salt and ½ tsp black pepper. Serve hot, with 1 lemon to squeeze over.