When in the south of France, every travel experience should include a sampling of the wonderful street food sold from carts and street side stalls throughout the towns across the Côte d’Azur, but in particular, Nice. A chickpea flour crepe known as Socca is a Niçoise specialty both filling and affordable. The crepe-like dish, made from only chick pea flour, water, and oil,  is cooked in a giant pan, then scraped into shards onto paper plates. The pieces are then drizzled with olive oil and a heavy handed dash of black pepper. Join our tour to Provence and the Côte d’Azur to experience socca first hand!

Recipe adapted from the cookbook Salad As A Meal, by Patricia Wells)

Socca

INGREDIENTS

1 cup chickpea (garbanzo bean) flour

1 teaspoon fine seas salt

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 1/3 cups water

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 450F
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, water, salt, and 2 tablespoons of the oil
Batter should be think and crepe-like
Pour the remaining oil into the cast iron pan and brush evenly to distribute
Oil should be generously coating the bottom of the pan. Place oiled pan in oven for 5 minutes
Carefully remove hot pan from oven. Pour the batter into pan, swirling evenly to distribute the batter.
Return to oven and bake about 20 minutes
Remove socca when it is bubbly, deep golden brown with some burnt bits.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle generously with black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil
Tear in ragged shards and serve heaped on a plate.