Socca, a specialty of Nice, France, is a thin pancake made from chickpeas with a crispy exterior and a soft, creamy interior. Its origins lie in Genoa, Italy, where it’s typically called farinata. Nowadays, there are countless global variations.
I can’t believe I only recently discovered socca! Have you ever had it before?
Socca is a chickpea pancake traditionally baked in a wood oven. It has a thin and crispy exterior with a soft, creamy interior. It requires less than five ingredients and very little active prep.
While it’s difficult to replicate the wood-fired flavors at home, a cast iron pan, a broiler, and a bit of cumin for smokiness (thanks to a tip from David Lebovitz) yield a delicious result with a crispy texture. Here, I serve it with a simple salad and a dollop of yogurt from mixed with garlic.
Table of Contents
Origins of socca
Technically, socca first originated from a very similar dish known as farinata, originating in Genoa, Italy. You may have also heard of other variations, including cecina, torta di ceci, and faina.
How is socca typically made?
Socca is typically prepared by combining chickpea flour, water, olive oil, and salt. The resulting batter sits for at least 30 minutes up to 12 hours to allow the flour to absorb the water and enhance the flavor and texture of the pancake. Traditionally, the batter bakes in a thin copper pan in a wooden oven until crispy.
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Key ingredients for this socca recipe
Socca has a short list of ingredients, making it the ideal quick lunch or snack.
For the socca
- Chickpea flour: Chickpea flour is the most important ingredient in this socca recipe. It forms the base of the socca and gives it the traditional earthy flavor, with subtle nuttiness and notes of sweetness.
- Extra-virgin olive oil: Olive oil adds both flavor and moisture to this pancake.
- Cumin: Cumin is not a traditional ingredient in socca; but here, it’s a genius addition. A wood-fired oven, unlike a home oven, lacks that slight edge of smokiness. So, thanks to a tip from David Lebovitz, a pinch of cumin offers just a bit of smoky flavor to mimic a wood oven.
For the herb salad
- Frisee (or lettuce): I love using a textured green like frisee to offer a bit of crunch alongside the socca. You could also use arugula or escarole.
- Fennel: The sweet, slightly anise-y flavors of fennel pair so nicely with the earthy chickpea flavor in socca.
- Herbs: Here, I use parsley and mint, but any sort of soft herb like basil and dill would be delicious too!
- Lemon juice: A bit of lemon juice brightens the salad and brings everything together.
For the garlic yogurt
- Yogurt: Any sort of thick yogurt, like Greek yogurt or skyr are ideal here.
- Garlic: A bit of garlic gives a spiciness to this yogurt. It really enhances the flavor so much!
How to make this socca recipe
This recipe has a few components, but each of them are quite simple and straightforward! Let’s walk through each step.
- Prepare the socca batter
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. This step gets the cast-iron pan really hot so that the socca cooks quickly!
Meanwhile, prepare the batter. Mix the chickpea flour, salt, and cumin together. Slowly pour in the water and olive oil, and mix constantly until the batter is smooth and homogeneous. - Make the garlic yogurt
Mix the yogurt and garlic together, then season with salt and pepper. Set aside, or keep in the fridge while you prepare the rest of the components. - Make the herb salad
Just before you bake the socca, prepare the salad (otherwise it will get soggy if sitting too long!) Mix the frisee, fennel, herbs, and salt and pepper. Season with a bit of lemon juice, and set aside. - Bake the socca
Carefully remove the cast-iron pan from the oven, swirl in a bit of olive oil, then pour in the batter in an even layer. Broil for a few minutes, rotating the pan to evenly char the top. Once it’s nicely charred all over, remove the pan from the oven. - Serve!
Let the socca cool until it’s warm (but not hot). Top with the salad and serve with skyr. Slice into wedges, and enjoy!
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Socca: Leftover socca will last 1 to 2 days in the fridge. Reheat any leftover pieces by placing them on a baking sheet and reheating at 350°F/177°C for 5 to 10 minutes until warmed through.
You can also freeze leftover slices by storing them in an airtight ziploc bag in the freezer for up to 1 month. Reheat in the oven at 350°F/177°C for 5 to 10 minutes until warmed through.
Herb salad: The herb salad will get soggy with time, so I recommend preparing it just before serving. Garlic yogurt: The garlic yogurt will last 3 to 4 days in the fridge. I love serving leftover yogurt with kebabs, grilled fish, or spiced chickpeas.
FAQ
With the salad and garlic yogurt, this socca is basically a complete meal. But if you would like a protein, I think it would be delicious alongside my vegetarian chili, a bowl of spiced lentils, or grilled fish.
A cast-iron pan is the most ideal tool for the job because it can get quite hot while retaining heat. I have not tried this with other oven-safe pans, so I wouldn’t recommend it.
You absolutely can! However, with a wider pan, the socca will be much thinner. For the same thickness, you will want to increase the amount of batter by 44%.
Did you try this recipe? I would love to hear your feedback! Be sure to rate the recipe and leave a comment below.
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Happy eating! Love, KarishmaSocca Recipe with Herb Salad & Garlic Yogurt
Equipment
Ingredients
For the socca
- 1 cup chickpea flour, 97g
- 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, if using any other brand of salt, use 1/4 teaspoon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 cup water, 240ml
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- A pinch of black pepper
For the garlic yogurt
- 1/2 cup greek yogurt or skyr
- 1 small garlic clove, grated or finely minced
- Salt and pepper
For the herb salad
- 1/3 cup thinly sliced fennel
- 2/3 cup frisee, or any textured greens, such as arugula or escarole
- 1/3 cup finely chopped herbs, such as mint, parsley, basil, or dill
- Squeeze of lemon juice
- Salt and 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 chickpea flour, salt, and cumin until combined. Slowly pour in water, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Stir in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add a pinch of black pepper.Cover batter and let sit for at least 30 minutes up to 12 hours; this helps the flour absorb the water and develop flavor.1 cup chickpea flour, 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 cup water, A pinch of black pepper
- Make the garlic yogurt: Whisk yogurt with garlic, and season with salt and pepper.1/2 cup greek yogurt or skyr, 1 small garlic clove, Salt and pepper
- Meanwhile, make the salad: Just before baking the socca, mix all salad ingredients in a bowl and season to taste. 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.1/3 cup thinly sliced fennel, 2/3 cup frisee, 1/3 cup finely chopped herbs, Squeeze of lemon juice, Salt and pepper
- Bake the socca: Switch the oven to the broiler setting on HI. 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.
