Socca Is the Delicious, Gluten-Free Chickpea Flatbread You'll Want to Snack On 24/7

Megan Falk
·3 min read

When building a snack board ahead of your trivia night with family or cocktail party with friends, you probably make an effort to ensure everyone has options that fit with their eating style. You pile on nuts and fresh veggies for your vegetarian pals, plant-based cheeses for your vegan ones, and charcuterie for those who will wolf down anything called "meat lover's." All of these foods are suitable for gluten-free folks, but without some sort of cracker, bread, or carb-rich munchie, their snacking experience might still feel a bit incomplete.

One solution: Whip up a batch of this socca, courtesy of Rebekah Peppler, author of À Table (Buy It, $18, amazon.com). A traditional dish from the Provence region in France, socca is basically a large chickpea pancake, according to the New York Times, and it's completely grain- and wheat-free. To make, whisk together chickpea flour — either store-bought (Buy It, $8, amazon.com) or homemade (just grind dried chickpeas in a food processor) — water, oil, and spices. Then, pour the batter in a hot cast iron skillet (Buy It, $18, amazon.com) and bake for a few minutes until it's golden brown.

Socca & Parm
Socca & Parm

Caitlin Bensel

The socca recipe and its ingredient list sound incredibly simple, but trust: The Piment d'Espelette (Buy It, $10, amazon.com) — a type of chile powder from France — will add a subtle heat that makes the flatbread binge-worthy for both your gluten-free guests and your wheat eaters. (Can't find it? No worries; sub in paprika or Aleppo pepper.)

- 18 Available at Amazon

Socca & Parm Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 cup fine chickpea flour

  • 1 cup lukewarm water

  • 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoons fine sea salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1/4 teaspoon Piment d'Espelette, plus more to finish (or substitute paprika or Aleppo pepper)

  • Piment d'Espelette Oil (recipe below)

  • Flaky salt

  • Parmesan

Directions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together chickpea flour, lukewarm water, 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, fine sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and Piment d'Espelette. Cover, and let sit at room temperature for at least 2 hours.

  2. Preheat the broiler, and arrange an oven rack near the top of the oven. Add 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil to a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, and place it in the oven until it's hot, 5 to 10 minutes.

  3. Carefully remove the pan from the oven, and pour in half the batter. Gently swirl the pan to coat, then return to the oven. Broil until the socca is golden brown and starting to char in spots, 2 to 3 minutes.

  4. Transfer to a plate, drizzle with Piment d'Espelette Oil, and sprinkle with flaky salt. Repeat with olive oil and remaining batter.

  5. Cut the socca into wedges, and serve with crumbled Parmesan.

(Related: Chickpea Recipes for a Satisfying Plant-Based Protein Meal)

Piment d'Espelette Oil

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1 teaspoon Piment d'Espelette (or paprika or Aleppo pepper)

Directions

  1. In a small saucepan over medium-low, heat extra-virgin olive oil until just warmed. Remove the pan from the heat, add Piment d'Espelette, and stir to combine.

  2. Set aside to cool and infuse. The oil will keep at room temperature in a tightly sealed container for 1 month.

Recipes reprinted from À Table by Rebekah Peppler with permission by Chronicle Books, 2021.