Ingredients
Batter
- 250 gchickpea flour, farine de pois chiche
- 600 mlwater
- 4 tbspgood olive oil
- 1 tspsalt
To cook
- olive oil, for the pan
To finish
- coarsely ground black pepper, in quantity
- flaky salt
Equipment
- a large shallow copper or cast iron pan
- a very hot oven or a grill
To serve
- torn, in paper, standing up
- a glass of rosé
Directions
- Whisk the chickpea flour with the water gradually, adding it a little at a time. Add the water gradually and whisk it smooth as you go, because chickpea flour lumps readily and the lumps do not disperse later.
- Whisk in the olive oil and the salt. The batter should be thin, roughly the consistency of single cream. Skim that foam off before cooking, which is what gives socca its smooth surface rather than a bubbled one.
- Whisk it again and check the consistency, thinning it if it has thickened. Now heat the oven as hot as it will possibly go, at least 250°C (480°F), with the pan inside.
- Take the hot pan out and pour in a good film of olive oil, swirling it. Keep it thin. Socca is not a thick pancake, and poured deep it stays wet and gluey in the middle.
- Cook it for 5 to 8 minutes until it is set, and then let it blister and char in patches.
- Finish it under a fierce grill for a minute if it has not coloured enough. It should be soft and creamy inside and crisp and charred on top and at the edges.
- Add a little flaky salt over the top. Serve it immediately, in paper, and eat it with the fingers while it is still too hot. It must be eaten within minutes.
Technique
- Farinata in Liguria is essentially the same and is often slightly thicker.
- Chickpea flour is sold as gram flour or besan in South Asian shops.
- It is naturally gluten free and vegan, which it was long before that mattered.
Substitutions
- Gram flour or besan, which is the same thing.
- A pizza stone with the batter in a shallow tray, if you have no suitable pan.
Variations
- Farinata, the Ligurian version.
- With rosemary, which Ligurians add and Niçois do not.
- Panisse, the same batter cooked thick, cooled and fried in chips.
History
A Nice street staple sold hot from wood ovens, closely related to Ligurian farinata across the border.
Frequently asked questions
What is Socca?
Socca is a street food from France: chickpea flour pancake baked in a copper pan, peppered and torn apart. A Nice street staple sold hot from wood ovens, closely related to Ligurian farinata across the border.
How long does Socca take to make?
Socca takes 10 min plus 2 hr resting of preparation and 10 min of cooking. The recipe makes 2 large soccas. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Socca?
Yes, within limits. Gram flour or besan, which is the same thing. A pizza stone with the batter in a shallow tray, if you have no suitable pan.
What is the most important thing to get right in Socca?
Whisk the chickpea flour with the water gradually, adding it a little at a time. Add the water gradually and whisk it smooth as you go, because chickpea flour lumps readily and the lumps do not disperse later.
