Table Talk » Socca (farinata) gluten-free goodness

I've been promising my friend Marcy that I'd post this recipe. We made it together a few weeks ago when we had a cooking play date. Socca is a chickpea flour flatbread. The recipe that I used is from Mark Bittman. He originally published the Socca recipe in October 2005, which was before I was following him. But his blog revisited the recipe in May 2008, which is when it caught my attention. I'm always on the lookout for gluten-free breads to make for my gluten-free clients and friends, so I put this on my to try list. Also, my dad loves chickpeas, so I want to make this for him soon.

It's a very simple peasant bread. Great for an appetizer. And very easy to make. All you need is some chickpea (garbanzo bean) flour, water, olive oil, salt, black pepper, an onion, and some fresh rosemary. Oh and a cast iron skillet. I use Bob's Red Mill Garbanzo Bean Flour. You can also find chickpea flour at Indian markets or natural food stores. You can even make your own garbanzo bean flour by lightly roast dried garbanzo beans, then grinding them in a blender until mixture has the consistency of flour.

Chickpea flour tends to clump, so you need to make sure that you sift or whisk the flour to break up any clumps. Bittman says that the onions and rosemary are optional. Marcy and I made the socca with and without the onions. We preferred it with the onions. Bitman also recommends a healthy dose of black pepper, you want the sharpness of the black pepper when you bite into the bread. For the onion, we used a red onion because I just love red onions.

This recipe can be adapted in many ways. Bittman's May 2008 blog entry discusses making it with other types of flour, including buckwheat flour. I also found this recipe on Epicurious for a version with sage, olives, and onions. That sounds like a great combination.

Socca

Socca (Farinata)
Adapted from Mark Bittman
Serves 4-6

1 cup chickpea flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 large red onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet in oven. Sift chickpea flour into a bowl; add salt and pepper; then slowly add 1 cup lukewarm water, whisking to eliminate lumps. Stir in 2 tablespoons olive oil. Cover, and let sit while oven heats, or as long as 12 hours. Batter should be about the consistency of heavy cream.

Stir onion and rosemary into batter. Pour 2 tablespoons oil into heated pan, and swirl to cover pan evenly. Pour in batter, and bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until pancake is firm and edges set. Heat broiler, and brush top of socca with 1 or 2 tablespoons of oil if it looks dry.

Set socca a few inches away from broiler for a few minutes, just long enough to brown it in spots. Cut it into wedges, and serve hot or warm.

Posted October 5, 2008 11:03 AM in Gluten-Free, Recipes, Test Kitchen

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2 Comment(s)

Kris said… (on October 5, 2008 at 12:05 PM #)

This looks yummy!

MarcyK said… (on October 5, 2008 at 22:37 PM #)

THANK YOU!!!! This is so delicious and we decided it would be amazing with an excellent extra virgin olive oil to dip it in. It has such a unique flavor, it would hold up to some nice dips. I have a fat-free creamy red pepper coulis that would also be wonderful with.


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