Chickpea polenta chips

Panissa is a type of polenta made from chickpea flour. Within Piedmont, there are many different pronunciations and spellings of the word panissa, but the surprising thing is that it does not derive from the Italian word for bread (pane) but rather from panico, a lesser known type of millet known as proso. The flour obtained from this millet was ideal for making a tasty and filling type of bread which could be eaten fresh or once stale, broken into small pieces and added to soups. This recipe entails the use of chickpea flour and can be considered the forerunner of the most famous local chickpea-based dish, farinata, commonly called bellecalda (nice and hot) in and around Alessandria. Panissa has become fashionable again and is usually served fried in oil as a sort of tapas. In the past, it was served as an accompaniment just like polenta or eaten cold with oil and onion or garlic on top.