Socca is a thin unleavened bread or pancake made from a batter of chick pea flour, water and oil. A speciality of the area around Nice in southeast France, variations known by other names and cooked by different methods can be found in many countries. This version is most closely related to the bordering Italian Farinata. Serve it as a snack or a meal.
Into a bowl measure 2 cups of chick pea flour (gram flour) and 2 teaspoons each of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Slowly whisk in 2 cups of lukewarm water, making sure there are no lumps. Stir in 4 tablespoons of olive oil and allow the batter to rest for at least 30 minutes and up to 12 hours. Thinly slice 2 onions and finely chop 1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary leaves. Heat some olive oil in a frypan and cook the onions over high heat until they are soft and browning. Add the rosemary and set aside. When you’re ready to cook, preheat your grill (broiler) and preheat a well-seasoned pizza pan or a heavy frypan under it. Stir the onions and rosemary into the batter and when the pan is smoking hot, pour some olive oil into it and spread it around. Pour the batter in, put the pan back under and cook for 8-10 minutes until the batter is set and you have a few scorch marks on the top. Cut into wedges to serve.
*adapted from this recipe
michelle picker cooks 