Socca or Farinata, a delicious pancake that knows no borders

I love this recipe as you can really play around with it and really make it your own.

This savory pancake-like savory pizza originated in Genoa and later a typical food of the Ligurian sea coast, from Nice to Pisa. In Italy it is known as Farinata in France Socca and in South America Faina. These pancakes are a staple street food in India and neighboring countries.

This is a delicious pancake made with 3 simple ingredients. Chickpea flour water and a splash of oil. These vary in thickness depending on the ingredients and the amount of liquid you put in and the amount of dough you put in for cooking. They can be quite thick or quite thin and crepey, making them flexible.

Chickpea flour can be found in most larger supermarkets, usually in the world food section or with other flours that are commonly available. If you really can’t find any in stores, the internet or specialty craft stores will make sure you have this staple. It is used all over the world. It is usually quite cheap. Chickpea flour is also known as gram flour, chickpea flour, or besan.

Chickpea flour is high in carbohydrates, despite this, compared to other flours, it has a relatively high proportion of protein.

I originally found a recipe for farinata in a Denis Cotter cookbook, For the Love of Food, vegetarian recipes from the heart. A truly impressive collection of inspiring recipes. He covered his with red onion and fried sage and then popped it in the oven. Delicious. A few weeks later I was browsing an Instagram feed and came across an image that looked like a pizza, they called it socca. After doing some research, I found out that they were the same thing! I love this recipe as you can really play around with it and really make it your own.

Instructions – Make 5 to 8 pancakes – cooking time 5 to 7 minutes each

  1. Beat in a blender a handful of spinach with a handful of coriander with 3 chopped chilies and 2 cloves of garlic. Moisten with a few tablespoons of vegetable broth, just enough to help the ingredients move.
  2. Put the puree aside.
  3. Mix the chickpea flour with the water, a splash of oil and a little salt and pepper.
  4. Set aside for 30 minutes.
  5. After 30 minutes, skim off any bubbles that have formed on top of the batter mix.
  6. Mix with a few teaspoons of the prepared spinach and cilantro puree. Keep tasting to satisfy your own taste buds.
  7. Put a teaspoon in a small nonstick skillet. Heat the oil and add a ladle full of dough. They can stick together, so a nonstick pan is essential for these pancakes. I use a large very collapsible spatula to loosen them from the pan.
  8. They are cooked like a traditional pancake/crepe, they take a little longer in the pan than a traditional pancake. I found that it works best on low heat.
  9. I prefer mine as thin as it can go.

These can be served flat and loaded like a pizza or open sandwich or rolled up delicately like a wrap.

Most of them can be eaten on their own and are tasty and filling.

Suggested Ingredients
I topped mine with artichoke/quinoa/celery/radish/arugula/feta cheese/flaxseed/olive oil/lime juice/pepper powder and salt and pepper.

They are great with hummus, salad, and a sprinkle of crispy chorizo.

They’re also nice with plain fried onions and sage. Put your favorites together on top for a quick snack or serve as a meal on its own.

I am really looking forward to knowing what my favorite topping is going to be and will be trying many combinations in the future.

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