Putignano - Puglia - Italy

Farinella and its benefits for skin and hair

Unlike other types of flours, the mixed chickpea and barley flour is not only used in the gastronomic and culinary fields, in fact, thanks to the presence of saponins, which have the ability to convey hydrophilic molecules, that is, capable of incorporating water and retaining it on a oily surface such as skin, farinella can also be used for the preparation of detergents and other cosmetic products for the body.

Even in self-production you can easily prepare farinella-based detergents and shampoos. Just mix it with warm water, avoiding the formation of lumps through uniform circular movements, with the possibility of adding a few drops of essential oil to obtain the fragrance. These preparations must be used immediately to avoid oxidation and deterioration.

You can also prepare face and body masks with various functions:
maschera esfoliante con farinella

By carefully mixing 3 tablespoons of farinella, 3 tablespoons of brown sugar and mixing everything with the addition of 3 tablespoons of sweet almond oil, you get an excellent exfoliating scrub useful for removing waste cells and renewing the skin. By combining these ingredients, the cleansing power of the farinella is exploited which, thanks to the saponins, absorbs the fat particles and removes them, leaving the skin dry and clean. Furthermore, dead cells are removed thanks to the rubbing action of cane sugar.

Another type of cream is the "anti-aging" one, which is prepared simply by adding a pinch of turmeric to the combination of farinella and warm water. The one obtained is a recipe that promises a rejuvenated and radiant skin, thanks to the powerful antioxidant action of Indian turmeric in combination with the cleansing action of chickpea flour.

farinella di Putignano e fichi della Murgia

Health benefits

The chickpeas, used for farinella, are the seeds of the Cicer arietinum plant belonging to the legume family. The use of the flour they produce is slowly returning to take on a leading role in daily nutrition as it is rich in vegetable proteins, vitamins and mineral salts that bring numerous benefits to the body.

Calories and nutritional values of this alternative flour.

100 g of this flour provides about 316 calories, divided as follows:

almost 60% of the nutrient composition is represented by carbohydrates and fibers,
15% vegetable proteins of high biological value,
6% fat,
the remaining percentage is made up of water.

The lipids present in chickpea flour are fats with a high nutritional value as they are represented by polyunsaturated fatty acids (linoleic acid) essential for the health of the cardiovascular system.

They are the micronutrients and bring most of the benefits. In chickpea flour there are also high levels of B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin A and vitamin E, and mineral salts such as potassium, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium.

They reduce cholesterol and triglycerides, thanks to the presence of chemical compounds such as saponins which are molecules capable of binding cholesterol, preventing intestinal absorption.
Excellent Substitute for Proteins
It regulates intestinal transit thanks to the presence of fibers and prevents pathologies associated with irregular or slowed transit, including some types of colon cancer.
Low glycemic index, which is why it is a food suitable for diabetics.
Anti-acid properties, in fact it is useful for people suffering from gastritis, ulcer and gastroesophageal reflux syndrome.

from the fourteenth century to the present day. The simple and hearty food of the farmers

Starting from 1317, the Benedictines handed Putignano into the hands of the Order of the Knights of Jerusalem, and the fiefdom became "Baliaggio", under whose command there was, that is, the Balì. Later came the bloody and frightening Saracen invasions that sowed terror and death. It was during one of these that the inhabitants had the idea of sprinkling their whole body with a hazelnut-colored powder and showing themselves to the usurpers as if they were monsters. The Saracens, thinking of a serious and mysterious contagious disease that had hit the inhabitants of the town, fled away in terror. What was that mysterious dust that saved Putignano? The Farinella.

It is said that as early as the 18th century, Farinella arrived in the cookbooks of the cookery masters of the noble palaces as an ingredient to obtain dishes then defined as "noble". It was used by the gentlemen, plain on pasta with sauce, on well-seasoned vegetables, combined with boiled potatoes or seasonal fruit, and even as a dessert by mixing it with sugar.

It was instead, in 1902, when the political debate between socialists and conservatives, between Giolittiani and anti-Giolittiani became stronger and stronger, due to the peasant riots in the area and the relative harsh repression put in place by the police. The contenders resorted to flour of chickpeas and barley to stigmatize the attitudes and positions of the opponents. The honorable Giolittiano Vito De Bellis, a native of Gioia del Colle, made a sort of praise of this "dust" to defend the work of the mayor of Putignano during those riots, and, in this regard, he ended up earning the appellative of "honorable della farinella".

Grazie alle proprietà nutritive e al forte apporto calorico, i contadini consumavano la farinella nella pausa pranzo delle intense giornate di lavoro nei campi. Lo mangiavano tal quale, oppure con acqua, olio e sale, oppure accompagnato, a seconda del periodo, con fichi freschi o secchi. Portavano con sé la farinella in un sacchetto di stoffa chiamato "u vol'z" in cui c'era anche un cucchiaio. Data la consistenza farinosa, lo hanno ingoiato accompagnato solo da lunghi sorsi di vino o acqua per evitare il rischio di soffocamento.

what is farinella?

Farinella, also called in the native language "Pov'l" that is in powder or "Far'ned", is a flour of toasted chickpeas and barley with the addition of salt. It is the food and wine product that identifies the municipality of Putignano. In the original version the farinella was composed only of barley, which was toasted and then reduced to powder with the aid of a mortar.

The flavor of Farinella is strongly linked to the aromas of the typical dishes of the south-east of Bari, in particular with the classic slow-cooked meat sauce in which beef rolls stuffed with parsley and garlic cheese, called "brasciole", are cooked. Any traditional creamy dish can be accompanied by farinella.

Even simple dishes based on boiled vegetables such as field chicory, called "sivoni" or beans, are enhanced by mixing them with farinella.

Even the typical desserts include farinella in the recipe, in fact the dry pastry is made with wheat flour, farinella, sugar and eggs, etc. and absolutely to try the combination "Dried figs", preserved in a jar with bay leaves and lemon zest, dipped in farinella and then tasted, combined with a barrique or cognac grappa.

La Farinella also gave its name to the representative mask of the Putignano Carnival.

Today farinella is widely used as an indigenous ingredient by the chefs of the kitchens of the ancient village, who with wisdom and creativity combine it with national and international aromas and flavors.

Given its history and the uniqueness of territorial identification, Slow Food is carrying out the procedure for the recognition of Farinella as a "Presidium"