A Naturally Gluten-free, Vegan Chickpea Flatbread
Socca is a simple delicious chickpea flatbread made with just 4 ingredients (that includes the salt). Pronounced (SO-kah), it is a traditional dish from Nice, France and as with many traditional dishes, there are a dozen different ways you can make it. And, this recipe is one of the simplest and best, so get ready for a treat!
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✅About
When I first tasted socca it was a glorious day; none of us wanted too much to eat, but once we started chomping on socca, freshly made on a large flat pan which had been cooked on a gently burning fire, we couldn't stop.
This ridiculously simple flatbread is made out of chickpea flour, water, olive oil and salt is absolutely delicious, cheap as chips (just a saying, because we all know chips aren't cheap. 😉), and super easy!
Just blend smooth and cook, as if you were making a basic crepe recipe.
📋Ingredient List
- chickpea flour - which is so nutritious and ready available.
- water - the glue that holds it together.
- olive oil - softens and also helps with flavor.
- salt - enhances the taste.
🔢Instructions
- Place flour and salt in a bowl and stir with a whisk then add the water mixing well, last the oil. (No need to beat, just stir all ingredients together until smooth.
- Let the batter rest for at least 30 minutes, longer is better (as with most flatbreads, to give the flour a chance to absorb all the water).
- 10 minutes before baking preheat oven to very hot 475°F/246°C/Gas 8.5, with a cast iron skillet inside the oven to warm up. (Cast iron is the preferred baking dish, but a heavy oven proof baking dish will work.)
- When the oven is fully heated remove skillet carefully and with 3 teaspoons of oil grease the bottom quickly. Stir the chickpea batter quickly and pour the batter into the heated pan.
- Place back in the oven (uncovered) and bake until the edges are crispy and browned about 20 minutes. Better to have it over cooked than under done.
- Let cool for 3-4 minutes and then with a spatula loosen the edges and remove to a serving plate. Don't leave in the pan too long after removing from the oven as one of the beautiful aspects of cast iron is that it holds heat for a long time and will continue to cook the food.
🤧What About Allergies?
This bread is:
- gluten free
- dairy free
- egg free
- nut free
- soy free
- sugar free
- high in protein
- low in carbohydrates
A perfect allergy free, flat bread!
Socca Is The Easiest Most Nutritious Bread, You Will Ever Eat!
🥂How To Serve
- Optional seasonings: 1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, oregano), 1-2 cloves minced garlic, ½ teaspoon spice (chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika).
- Serve it warm with some cheeses and cured olives as an easy appetizer.
- Or, for something a little different, pile it with salad greens and cut it into wedges.
Socca is pretty addictive all on its own!
❄️Storage
- Socca should be eaten hot out of the oven because it loses its best eating window when stored.
- Store on the counter for a couple of days, the fridge doesn't do it any favors.
- Wrap any leftovers well in cling wrap and freeze for up to 2 months.
- Always warm up leftover socca in the oven on a sheet.
💡Tips
- Rest the batter for a minimum of 1 hour.
- Important to reheat your pan.
- Plan to eat this delicious treat when it's fresh from the oven.
- Better to overbake it than underbake it.
❔FAQ
I have not personally tried anything else, but some people have suggested mung bean flour, or other bean flour, lentils cooked and mashed. If you try an alternative please let us know in the comments.
Yes, besan flour and gram flour are made from different types of chickpeas.
✨More Wonderful French Breads
- Milk Rolls, a French classic.
- A list of French breads would not be complete without Baguettes!
- Brioche, a scrumptious French egg bread.
- Sneaking this tasty, versatile recipe for peshwari naan too!
There are many delicious French Bread Recipes to revel in!
📖 Recipe
Super Easy Socca Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup/125 gr/4½ oz chickpea flour
- 1 cup/8 fl oz water
- 1½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus 3 teaspoon more for the pan
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- With a whisk stir together the chickpea flour and salt, add water, then olive oil in a small bowl.
- Let rest for at least an hour, longer if possible, or over night is good too, to give the flour time to absorb the water.
- 10 minutes before baking preheat oven to very hot 475°F/246°C/Gas 8.5, with a cast iron skillet inside the oven to warm up. (Cast iron is the preferred baking dish, but a heavy oven proof baking dish will work.)
- When the oven is fully heated remove skillet carefully and with 3 teaspoons of oil grease the bottom quickly. Stir the chickpea batter quickly and then pour into the heated pan. Tilt the pan so the batter coats the entire surface of the pan.
- Place back in the oven (uncovered) and bake until the edges are crispy and browned about 20 minutes. Better to have it over cooked than under done, then remove from the oven.
- Let cool for 3-4 minutes and then with a spatula loosen the edges and remove to a serving plate. Don't leave in the pan too long after removing from the oven as one of the beautiful aspects of cast iron is that it holds heat for a long time and will continue to cook the food. But, in this case you want it to stop cooking.
How To Serve
- Optional seasonings: 1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, oregano), 1-2 cloves minced garlic, ½ teaspoon spice (chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika).
- Serve it warm with some cheeses and cured olives as an easy appetiser.
- Or, for something a little different, pile it with salad greens and cut it into wedges.
Notes
Tips
- Rest the batter for a minimum of 1 hour.
- Important to reheat your pan.
- Plan to eat this delicious treat when it's fresh from the oven.
- Better to over bake it than under bake it.
Did you make this & like it, or not, let us know?!