Socca is what you get when you mix and bake chickpea flour, water, garlic, olive oil and a little salt – a super-tasty, simple, gluten-free crispy pancake, that you can break up into crackers sprinkled with freshly ground black pepper as a snack on its own or with dips. Or, like us, you can use it as a pizza base for a light, healthy and delicious meal. 

We love chickpea (garbanzo / gram) flour as an alternative to wheat because chickpeas lower cravings for snacks and processed foods, are packed with fibre, have a high concentration of antioxidants and can help lower cholesterol. 

This recipe of Nic’s was a huge hit at our Nourish and Flourish retreat, and is a great way to make a post-festivities health-kick more tempting.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (120 grams) chickpea flour
• 1 cup water
• ¼ cup olive or coconut oil
• 1 to 2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

For the toppings, you can experiment with your favourite flavours – see below.

Instructions

In a bowl, whisk together the chickpea flour, water, 2 tablespoons of the oil, the garlic and salt. Let the mixture rest at room temperature for 1 hour.

After the hour, pour in 1 tsp of the oil and swirl the pan around so the oil is evenly distributed. Pour in the chickpea batter and return to the heat.

Cook for 5 to 8 minutes, until the socca is set and the edges are browning and pulling away from the sides of the pan. Flip over then cook again.

Turn oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Spread the remaining 1 tablespoon oil on top of the socca (it will soak right in).

Top the socca with homemade tomato sauce and any toppings you fancy — roast veggies, cheese, olives, basil, rocket….

Return the pan to the oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the socca is crisp.

Let the pizza cool for 2 to 3 minutes before slicing into 4 pieces and serving.