Socca
Serves 2 to 4.
Note: You'll find chickpea flour in the gluten-free section of your grocery store. Indian groceries sell besan, or gram flour, made from a slightly different kind of chickpea, which works well in this, too. If you come across a garbanzo-fava blend flour, that also can be substituted. From Robin Asbell.
• 1 c. chickpea (garbanzo) flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 c. water
• 3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 tbsp. fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped, divided
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. You'll need a 12-inch cast iron skillet.
In a medium bowl, whisk the chickpea flour and salt. Whisk in the 1 1/2 cups of water a little at a time, making a smooth paste before whisking in the remaining water. Preheat the cast iron pan in the oven for 5 minutes.
Pour 2 tablespoons olive oil in the pan and swirl to coat. Sprinkle in half of the rosemary, and pour the batter over. Sprinkle with the remaining rosemary and drizzle with remaining oil. Bake for 30 minutes, until browned on top. It should pull away from the sides of the pan.
Variation: To make pizza, sprinkle with 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan, coarsely chopped olives and chopped tomato and return to the oven for 5 minutes. Cut in wedges and serve.
More options: Use fresh thyme or oregano instead of rosemary for the socca. Whisk a couple of tablespoons of tahini into the batter. Add a teaspoon or two of spice instead of herbs, then pair with a companion dip or soup. Sprinkle with sesame, hemp or chia seeds when you add the batter to the pan, for crunch.
Nutrition information per each of 4 servings:
Calories180Fat12 gSodium315 mg
Carbohydrates13 gSaturated fat2 gTotal sugars2 g
Protein5 gCholesterol0 mgDietary fiber3 g
Exchanges per serving: 1 starch, 2 ½ fat.
