Socca Recipe: The (Gluten-free) French Appetizer (2024)

FAQs

What is socca made of? ›

Socca is also known by the names of fainá or farinata (coming from Argentina and Italy, respectively), but they are all essentially the same recipe using chickpea flour, olive oil, and water — and all have a crispy, nutty flavor.

An emblem of Nice cuisine, Socca is a cross between a rustic flatbread and pancake, made with olive oil and chickpea flour.

Farinata (Italian: [fariˈnaːta]), farinata di ceci, torta di ceci, fainé, fainá, socca, cecìna or cade is a type of thin, unleavened pancake or crêpe made from chickpea flour.

Yes, gram flour is gluten-free. Gram flour, also called besan, garbanzo flour, or chickpea flour, is made from ground chickpeas, which are naturally gluten-free. Chickpeas also have many names, including garbanzo beans, garbanzo, gram, Bengal gram, Egyptian pea, cici beans, chi chi beans and cece beans.

Socca is a gluten-free chickpea flatbread from Nice, France. It's surprisingly easy to make at home, and it's a delicious appetizer or meal on its own. See the post above for my favorite ways to serve it.

Besan flour, gram flour, and garbanzo bean flour are all chickpea flours; they're just made from different varieties of chickpeas. Chickpea flour or garbanzo bean flour is milled using whole white chickpeas (garbanzo beans). Besan or gram flour is made by grinding split brown chickpeas (chana dal) into a fine powder.

The name "chickpea", earlier "chiche pease", is modelled on Middle French pois chiche, where chiche comes from Latin cicer.

History of Socca

Legend has it that the recipe for socca was discovered when the Turks attacked the city of Nice in 1543. When they ran out of ammunition, the Niçois mixed hot oil with chickpea soup and poured it down off the top of the walls and onto the heads of the invaders.

Socca is popular not just in southern France, but also in Italy (where it's called farinata). The traditional—and best—way to cook it is in a wood-fired oven (mobile or otherwise), but you can easily make do with your home oven using a skillet or pizza pan.

Pasting properties of both the flour of legumes were significantly different (P < 0.05). Chickpea flour had a lower pasting temperatures and the peak, final, and setback viscosities than dried green pea flour. These characteristics seem to be related to the increased fat content of chickpea flour than green pea flour.

What is closest to chickpea flour? ›

Almond Flour

It imparts a slightly nutty flavor and makes an excellent substitute. To substitute, you can use almond flour for chickpea flour in a 1:1 ratio. Almond flour tends to be more moist, so you might need to adjust the liquid content in your recipe slightly.

Almond flour (or almond meal) offers a better nutrient profile for protein, fiber and vitamins, according to Cushman. It also adds heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, protein, vitamin E and fiber and contains minimal carbohydrates.

Hummus is usually gluten-free, but not always. Traditional hummus is naturally gluten-free as are most brands such as Sabra Hummus. There are reports out there of certain brands either including flour in their hummus or just declaring that their hummus may contain wheat and/or is made on shared equipment.

Almond Flour: This is a very nutty (and gluten free!) flour option. Use almond flour instead of chickpea flour at a 1 to 1 ratio. Tapioca Flour: Tapioca flour is a gluten free option that may not be the best chickpea flour substitute, but is an option.

Socca, a specialty of Nice, France, is a thin pancake made from chickpeas with a crispy exterior and a soft, creamy interior. Its origins lie in Genoa, Italy, where it's typically called farinata.

Chickpea flour — also known as besan, Channa dal or gram flour — is made from ground raw or roasted chickpeas. Roasted varieties has more flavor, while the raw variety is bitter.

The secret ingredient is aquafaba, which is the leftover liquid we find inside a can of chickpeas. It's often used to replace egg whites in vegan recipes because it can be whipped into a foam that's very similar in texture to beaten egg whites—which also makes it perfect for sensory play!

As a legume, chickpeas are coated in an organic, soapy substance known as saponins that get released as they cook. When mixed with the bean's proteins and carbs, this substance thickens even more, creating a layer of foam that will quickly overflow if the right precautions aren't taken (via Veg FAQs).