Socca is a specialty from Nice, France. Also known as farinata from Italy, it is like a flatbread or crispy pancake and is made with naturally gluten-free chickpea flour, water, and olive oil. So simple, but don't be fooled! It's divine, kid-friendly, easy to make, gluten-free, and versatile. Like a pizza or crêpe, there are many ways to serve it.
1 cup chickpea flour
1 cup water
2 1/2 tbsp olive oil
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
Rosemary (optional)
1. Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl and add fresh rosemary—optional.
2. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel. Let sit for 30 mins to 2 hours to soften the Socca. You can even let it sit all day.
3. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Generously coat a cast iron or regular pan. A non-stick pan does not work as well. A cast-iron pan is ideal; you can also use a crêpe pan.
4. Coat the pan generously with olive oil and warm in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven (using an oven mitt, of course).
5. Whisk the Socca again. This is necessary after it has been sitting for any length of time.
6. Pour batter into the hot pan. Put the pan back in the oven and bake. It takes about 15-20 minutes to bake, depending on the pan size and your oven. It is done when the edges start to crisp.
7. Top with an extra sprinkle of sea salt and serve. See notes below for other serving ideas.
Using a crepe pan, split the batter and make two or three. Socca should not be too thick.
The real fun is in the serving ideas:
Top with pesto, tapenade, or tomato sauce. You can spread it on or use these as a dip.
Sprinkle dried rosemary or herbs de Provence on top.
Top the socca with arugula tossed with lemon dressing, cherry tomatoes, and Parmesan cheese.
Serve socca like a pizza with tomato sauce with or without mozzarella.
A crêpe pan is ideal for making socca. It is light and easy to work with—a must-have kitchen tool.
