Socca or Farinata: Chickpea Pancakes

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Chickpea flour pancakes are called Farinata, Socca, Pannella and who knows how many other names, it is typical street food in many Mediterranean countries simply made with chickpeas flour and water cooked over a wood fire.

Jump to:

• Origins of chickpeas flour pancake
• Using a pizza stone
• How to make the chickpeas flour pancake
• Top tips
• More appetizers from the South of France
• 📋Socca or Farinata: Chickpea Flour Pancakes

Origins of chickpeas flour pancake

This chickpeas flour pancake is very easy to make and requires only water, no eggs nor milk.

It seems that its origins are from the Roman Empire in Genova when a ship full of chickpeas flour and oil got caught in a storm and the flour got wet with seawater. Instead of throwing it away, since they did not have much more to eat, they let it dry in the sun.

The Farinata recipe was then improved in time by cooking it on fire.

Whatever its origins, and name the Socca or Farinata is one of the typical street food in the French and Italian Riviera. In the streets is served by itself warm just off the fire. It is like a rolled thick crepe.

If you make it at home you can serve it with any type of sauce or dip, or use it as a wrap. If you want to be more adventurous you can mix some herbs in the batter to give them an extra flavour.

Using a pizza stone

To cook the Socca, you can use a regular frying pan, the best would be a pan for crepes as the edges are lower and it easier to turn them.

However, I make the socca in my regular kitchen oven using the pizza stone plate from Brazilian Soapstone. It is different from other pizza stones as it has an edge and I can pour the Socca mix which is liquid, without spilling it. You can buy it online in the USA, but not in Europe.

So if you are in Europe, I found some cast iron pans that can use used instead.

They do make the difference, the heat from the stone makes the dough cook evenly, including in the center and gives the crust a nice crispy consistency. The same as if cooked in a wood oven.

How to make the chickpeas flour pancake

1. Sift the salt in the chickpeas flour
2. Gradually add the water and the 2 tbsp of olive oil
3. Cover with cling film  and let it rest overnight at room temperature
4. Oil the pizza stone plate and put it into the oven at 220C
5. Once the oven is hot take the pizza stone out, brush again with olive oil and pour the mixture enough to cover the plate
6. Cook in the hot oven for 15 minutes

Top tips

• The batter has to rest for 10 hours, so make it the day before and store at room temperature.
• Mix the water gradually so you don’t create lumps
• If you don’t have a pizza stone use a cast iron pan
• Make sure the pan is very hot
• Cut in slices to serve it

More appetizers from the South of France

Other appetizers from the South of France that you can serve with chickpeas flour pancakes are:

• Pissaladiere
• Tapenade
• Aubergine caviar
• Pan bagnat

Also on the table but not from Provence Neapolitan Fried Pizza

If you are making these chickpea flour pancakes, leave your comment below I would like to hear from you. You can find more delicious ideas if you FOLLOW ME on Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest and Instagram or sign up to my newsletter.