Socca: A French Street Food Gem

5 from 2 votes

You'll love naturally gluten-free socca, a flatbread made with chickpea flour that's served by street vendors In the French city of Nice.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine French

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Batter resting time 2

Total Time 2 15

Servings

Calories 60kcal

Combine flour, water, salt, cumin, thyme, garlic and 1 1/2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a bowl.
Let the batter rest for 2 hours, covered, at room temperature.
1 cup Bob Red Mill Garbanzo Bean Flour, 1 cup water, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon thyme, 1 clove garlic
When you're ready to cook, preheat your broiler for 5 minutes.
Then add a tablespoon of olive oil to a 10-inch oven-safe skillet, brush along the sides of the skillet as well, and heat the skillet in the oven for 4 minutes.
Note: For this step, I place my skillet on the middle rack of the oven to be sure the oil is not too close to the heat source.
Then carefully remove the skillet from the oven (it's hot!), and pour half of the the batter, about 6 ounces, into the skillet.
(If you prefer, you may pour all of the batter for a single thicker socca.)
Broil about four inches from the heat source for about 5 minutes adjusting the cooking time based on the thickness of the socca and desired crispness.
Remove your socca from the skillet with a spatula. Repeat, brushing the skillet with oil and pouring in the remaining batter to make another socca.
Slice each with pizza cutter or knife and serve warm or at room temperature as an appetizer, side dish, or even as a base for dishes like pizza.

This is the gluten free flour I use in this recipe: Bob's Red Mill Garbanzo Bean flour.
The French sprinkle their socca with salt and pepper, drizzle it with olive oil and eat it off a napkin. You can serve it with your favorite toppings. Spread pesto sauce on it, Mediterranean salsa, fresh herbs, roasted vegetables, cheese or brown gravy (gluten free gravy and sauces recipes here.) or whatever you like.
Your approximate preparation time is only 5 minutes, but allow 2 hours for the batter to rest. This allows the chickpea flour to fully hydrate and helps improve the texture and flavor of the socca. And this procedure additionally enhances the bean's digestibility.
I have only made Socca in my cast-iron skillet which is ideal. But if you don't have cast-iron, it should be ok in a broiler-safe stainless steel skillet.
Socca is a fantastic option for parties or gatherings. You can make a large batch of socca using a 1:1 ratio of chickpea flour to water. This creates a smooth, pourable batter consistency and the right texture. Cut the socca into bite-size pieces and put out a spread serving it with several toppings.
Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for a week or in the freezer for up to three months. To reheat, simply thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and warm it up in a skillet or toaster.

Calories: 60kcal | Carbohydrates: 3.3g | Protein: 1.1g

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