Known as 'socca' in France and 'farinata' in Italy, these crispy flatbreads offer a delightful blend of flavours. While traditionally baked in wood-fire ovens, this recipe adapts beautifully to a conventional oven, resulting in a perfectly crispy and savoury flatbread.
You can jazz up your socca with olives, red pepper flakes, mushrooms, sundried tomatoes or fresh chiles for a personalised touch.
Ingredients
1 cup (240ml) lukewarm water
Olive oil
1 cup (160g) chickpea flour
Natural salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup (75g) diced yellow onion
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic (about 2 cloves)
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped thyme
Instructions
In a Vitamix or whizzer, combine water, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, chickpea flour, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Pulse on low until just combined. Transfer to a bowl and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to12 hours.
Preheat the oven to 450°F (235°C).
In a frying pan over medium heat, sauté onion in 1 tablespoon of olive oil for 10 minutes until soft. Add garlic and sauté for 5 more minutes. Stir in parsley and thyme.
Grease a 9- to 10-inch (23 to 25cm) cast-iron frying pan or shallow pie plate with olive oil. Spoon onion and herb mixture into the pan, then pour batter over the top. Stir gently to distribute evenly.
Bake uncovered for 10 minutes until socca pulls away from the sides of the pan.
Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then brush the top with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Slide socca out of the pan, cut into wedges, and serve immediately.
