A socca is farinata by another name, a crêpe-like chickpea snack originally from the Italian Riviera.
Our version is more pancake than flatbread, especially since our kitchen is set up for brunch with a large cast iron gas griddle. Instead of baking the traditionally unleavened batter in the oven, we add yeast and cook it like pancakes on the griddle, creating something more like a chickpea blini. This is a great gluten-free snack and can be served with caviar if you’re feeling luxe.
Serves
4
Ingredients
Socca
- ¾ cup (100g) chickpea flour,
- tablespoon alternative gluten-free flour
- ½ teaspoon active dried yeast
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- Vegetable oil spray
Chickpea Crumble
- 1 cup (135g) canned (tinned) chickpeas
- 1 teaspoon toasted caraway seeds
- ½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ginger powder
- ½ teaspoon granulated onion
- Salt
Charred Apple Honey
- 1 apple (200g), peeled, cored, and diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup (340g) honey
- 10g piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
Compressed Apple
- 115g apple, halved and thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Small pinch salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon thyme leaves
To Serve
- 160g Ricotta
- Thyme sprigs
Directions
Make the socca
Add all the ingredients except the vegetable spray to a blender with a generous 1 cup (255g) water and purée for 4 minutes. Transfer to an airtight container and rest at room temperature for 2 hours. (At this point you can refrigerate for up to 8 hours, but bring the batter back to room temperature before using it.) Heat a nonstick skillet (frying pan) or griddle to medium, greased with a generous amount of vegetable spray. Scoop 50g dollops of batter into the pan, cooking them like pancakes. Flip when crispy, about 2 minutes per side.
Make the chickpea crumble
Heat the oil in a deep fryer or large, heavy pot to 180°C or until a cube of bread browns in 30 seconds. Drain and dry the chickpeas by spreading out on paper towels, then fry the chickpeas until dark golden and crispy, 2–3 minutes. Drain on paper towels and season with salt. Crush the toasted caraway in a mortar and pestle, then crush the fried chickpeas with a mallet or the bottom of a mixing bowl. Combine the chickpeas and the caraway, then add the grated and dried ginger and granulated onion. Check for seasoning.
Make the charred apple honey
Toss the diced apples with the olive oil in a stainless-steel mixing bowl. On a gas or charcoal grill, char the apples until lightly browned and smoky, 5–7 minutes. Transfer the apples to a small pan with the honey and ginger, and heat on medium until simmering, then turn down the heat to its lowest setting and allow to simmer for at least 1 hour. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer or tamis.
Make the compressed apple
If, like me, you don’t have a Cryovac machine at home, simply toss all the ingredients together. If you do have a Cryovac, toss all the ingredients together, add them to a Cryo bag and compress at a high setting.
To Serve
Top each pancake with a spoonful of ricotta, a scattering of apple slices, a sprinkle of chickpea crumble, and a drizzle of charred apple honey. Garnish with thyme sprigs.
Recipe extracted from The Lula Café Cookbook, by Jason Hammel, published by Phaidon, RRP $80.
