Wednesday, February 15, 2017

socca.



In our new apartment, we have a lot more cabinet space.   It's awesome (because who doesn't want more space) but it's also extremely annoying because I now see, on an almost daily basis, the items I purchased, used half of, and are now languishing in the cabinets just waiting to be used again.   

So the challenge has become, how can I use these half finished bags of things. Things like chickpea flour which I bought at one time and only used 1/4 cup of...

And this my friends is how I found myself making socca for dinner one night.   Socca is a chickpea flavored flatbread/gluten free version of pizza and it's quite frankly awesome.   It comes together in about 20 minutes and works with a wide array of toppings (making it an easy way to finish off those bottles of assorted pickled things you have in your fridge).   Our favorite version involves olives, roasted red peppers, and feta which gives it a middle-eastern vibe, but you could easily make it more Italian (with pesto, arugula, and Parmesan).  The possibilities are endless (and it may mean chickpea flour will now be a pantry staple).   

Socca
Recipe adapted from the NYTimes

1 cup chickpea flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
Toppings of your choice - Feta, roasted red peppers, olives, herbs, roasted tomatoes, goat cheese, sprouts, pesto

Heat the oven to 450. Put a well-seasoned or nonstick 12-inch pizza pan or cast-iron skillet in oven. (If you have a socca pan, obviously that will work well also.)

Put the chickpea flour in a bowl; add the salt and pepper. Slowly add 1 cup lukewarm water, whisking to eliminate lumps. Stir in 2 tablespoons olive oil. Cover and let sit while the oven heats, or for as long as 12 hours. The batter should be about the consistency of heavy cream.

Remove the pan, pour 1 tablespoon of the oil into it and swirl. Immediately pour the batter into the pan and top with desired toppings. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the pancake is firm and the edges set.

Cut it into wedges, and serve hot or warm.  Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days and eaten at room temperature.    


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