Socca or Farinata

I’m increasingly interested in changing the visual balance of my plate away from the ‘meat and two veg’ look that hovers, culturally, over our food story. The key is for protein to find its way onto the plate without being a slab at the heart of it. I’ll revisit this thought over time, but today, an old friend, Farinata from Northern Italy, (also known Socca around Nice), a sort of pancake/flatbread made from chickpea flour that makes a brilliant base for all sorts of meals: as a flatbread to accompany any sort of dip or roasted vegetable, a meal on its own if you drop cherry tomatoes and cubes of feta onto it, a pizza base for a gluten or fuss-free alternative to dough. 

In terms of flavour, you can take it in many directions: replace the rosemary with turmeric and nigella for an Indian slant to accompany dal and raita, or with cumin seed to face into the Middle East and a plate of spiced roasted vegetables with seasoned yoghurt – you’ll see in the picture here, I’m still working my way through the last of the squash which arrived in my veg box last week. Most important, perhaps, is to point out that simply scattered with salt, socca makes the sort of warm salty snack that is very welcoming to glass or three of rose on a sunny bank holiday.

250g chickpea (gram) flour

500g warm water

125ml olive oil

Pinch of sea salt

1 tbs rosemary leaves, finely chopped 

Makes 2 x 25-30cm pans, enough for 4 people as a generous snack or side

Combine flour and 1 tsp salt in a large bowl. Gradually whisk in water until very smooth. Cover and set aside for at least 30 minutes to rest. Skim off any impurities, then whisk in the rosemary and 50ml olive oil until it emulsifies – you are looking for a consistency of double cream.

Preheat oven to 220°C. Heat a large, oven proof frying pan with 1.5 tbs olive oil till almost smoking. Add enough batter to cover the pan – you want it a little thicker than a crepe, about 4 mm - and cook for a couple of minutes or until starting to bubble. Transfer to the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes until crisp and golden on top. Transfer to a plate and keep warm. Repeat with remaining batter.