Nowadays, people serve it in lots of different ways, from a simple herb-flecked flatbread to a stuffing for sandwiches. Here, I serve it like a pizza crust, topped with a simple salad and a dollop of garlic yogurt.
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Happy eating! Love, KarishmaSocca
Equipment
Ingredients
For the socca
- 1 cup chickpea flour, specifically garbanzo bean flour
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, or ¼ teaspoon Morton Kosher Salt or Sea Salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 cup water
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- A pinch of black pepper
For the garlic yogurt
- ½ cup greek yogurt, or skyr
- 1 small garlic clove, grated or finely minced
- Salt and black pepper
For the herb salad
- ⅓ cup thinly sliced fennel
- ⅔ cup frisee, or any textured greens, such as arugula or escarole
- ⅓ cup finely chopped herbs, such as mint, parsley, basil, or dill
- Squeeze of lemon juice
- Salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet on an oven rack fitted in the top-third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F/232°C.
- Prepare the socca batter: Mix 1 cup chickpea flour, ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, and ⅛ teaspoon ground cumin until combined. Slowly pour in 1 cup water, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Stir in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add a pinch of black pepper.Cover batter and let rest for at least 30 minutes up to 12 hours; this helps the flour absorb the water and develop flavor.
- Make the garlic yogurt: Whisk ½ cup greek yogurt with 1 small garlic clove (grated), and season with salt and pepper.
- Meanwhile, make the salad: Just before baking the socca, mix all salad ingredients in a bowl (⅓ cup thinly sliced fennel ⅔ cup frisee, and ⅓ cup finely chopped herbs) and season to taste with a squeeze of lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Set aside. If you're preparing this dish ahead of time, make the salad just before baking (or serving) the socca to prevent it from getting soggy.
- Bake the socca: Switch the oven to the broiler setting on high. Carefully remove the preheated skillet from the oven with an oven mitt or pot holder and swirl in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Pour the batter in an even layer, then immediately place it back in the oven. Broil for 4 to 6 minutes until blistered all over the top and browned on the bottom. You may need to rotate the skillet every couple of minutes for a more even blistering.
- Remove socca from the oven, and cool slightly until warm but not hot. Slice socca into wedges, and serve with salad and garlic skyr.Note: If your cast-iron pan is well worn and seasoned, the socca should not stick to the pan. Just to be safe, though, use a firm metal spatula to assist in removing the slices.
KarenAnn
As a vegetarian, this socco looks great but what other pan can I use in place of a cast iron pan since I don't have one and I'm not getting one?
Karishma
Hi KarenAnn,
That's a great question. For this particular recipe, a cast-iron is the recommended option because it's relatively non-stick and can withstand broiling. Most non-stick pans can't handle broiling, so here are a few other options:
1. Use a 10-inch broiler-safe stainless steel frying pan. The only issue here is that it may cause more stickage (I haven't tried this myself).
2. Use an oven-safe non-stick pan and bake the socca instead of broiling it. Here's a recipe without broiling: https://www.loveandlemons.com/socca-recipe
3. Cook it on the stovetop instead of the oven. Here's a recipe: https://www.thefieryvegetarian.com/simple-stovetop-socca/
Sorry there isn't an ideal substitute, but hopefully this helps!