Calibrate Recipe

SOCCA (CHICKPEA FLATBREADS)

Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Vegan, Vegetarian, Halal, Kosher, Metabolic Jumpstart

Active: 5 minutes
Total: 55 minutes (includes cooling)
Serves 2 to 4

If you’ve never heard of socca, you’re in luck. Socca, also sometimes called farinata, is essentially a savory gluten-free chickpea pancake with crispy, golden edges and a soft interior. Typically found in the Provence region of the south of France, socca is delicious cut into wedges and served plain as an appetizer or snack (try pairing it with your favorite dip), or kept whole and topped like a flatbread to make a meal.

Chickpea flour and olive oil give the socca a rich, nutty flavor, plus the perfect combination of protein, fiber, and healthy fat. Chickpea flour (also called garbanzo flour or besan) is a grain-free flour made from finely ground dried chickpeas that is readily available online or in the gluten-free section of most grocery stores. Unlike wheat flour, chickpea flour takes longer to hydrate, so be sure to let the batter soak at least 30 minutes (and up to 12 hours) before you cook it.

Socca is best hot from the oven, when the edges are still nice and crispy, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days. To serve, reheat in a 400°F oven until the edges crisp up again.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup chickpea flour
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 1 plus ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt

Directions:

  1. Place a 12-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
  2. Whisk together the chickpea flour, water, 1 tablespoon of the oil, and the salt in a medium bowl until smooth and no lumps remain, 1 to 2 minutes. Cover and set aside to soak, at least 30 minutes.
  3. Carefully remove the preheated skillet from the oven and use a pastry brush to coat the bottom and the side with the remaining ½ tablespoon oil. Pour the batter into the pan and bake until the socca is dry to the touch and crisp around the edges, about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly, then use a spatula to loosen the socca. Serve, cut into wedges for dipping, or whole as a flatbread with your desired toppings.

Test Kitchen Tip:
The key is to preheat your cast-iron skillet in the oven so that the batter begins to cook as soon as it hits the hot pan and doesn’t stick. A 12-inch skillet gives you a thin, crispy pancake, whereas a smaller 8-inch skillet makes for a thicker bread. If you don’t have a cast-iron skillet, any flat, shallow oven-safe baking dish will work too.