Socca is a type of thin, unleavened pancake or crêpe made of chickpea flour, water, olive oil and salt. It’s a food that is commonly consumed in the south of France. It can be eaten as a side dish or used to make pizza. Sometimes, fresh or dried herbs are added to the batter too. It’s delicious and a great alternative to bread as it’s vegan and gluten-free.

The flour I use is organic and gluten-free and is from Bob’s Red Mill. It’s stone-ground and very good quality. I love their products. It’s a great company.

Chickpea flour

Because Socca is made with chickpea flour, I have a tendency to make something vegetarian and that complements the meal, as far as taste and flavour profiles are concerned, and as a way to complete protein. There is protein in chickpea but to complete the protein you normally need a grain or a seed. This is why I topped the Socca bread with hummus as it’s made with chickpea and tahini (tahini is made from sesame seeds). This is why also hummus is a complete protein food for vegetarians. So I find it a great topping for Socca because it also fits with the Mediterranean flavours.

How to Make Socca

If you have never made it, it’s time to try. It’s pretty easy and quick to make although you will need to rest the batter, about 30 minutes to 1 hour, before cooking it. I make the batter by blending all the ingredients in my high-speed blender. Then, you will need to use an oven proof skillet as you will be putting your skillet in the broiler of your oven to cook  it. It only takes 5 minutes to cook then it’s done.

I made the batter in my blender and this is what it looked like after an hour:

And this is what the Socca looks like after being broiled for 5-6 minutes in my oven..

Toppings

Once it has cooled down, you can add whatever you like on top to make a healthy pizza (unless you want it as a side dish, then in that case perhaps you just sprinkle with coarse sea salt). In this recipe, I topped the bread with hummus, feta cheese, olives and fresh tomatoes. If you are thinking about adding something else, cooked spiced chickpeas would be a great topping.

But really, feel free to add whatever you like. If you are dairy-free, simply skip the cheese or use a cashew cheese, which would be lovely too. And if you’re in the mood, a nice glass of rose would be amazing with the Socca.

Enjoy the rest of your summer, talk soon!

Print Recipe

Socca Pizza with Hummus

This socca pizza is made with homemade vegan chickpea bread and topped with Mediterranean ingredients like hummus, feta cheese, olives and tomatoes.

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Total Time40 minutes mins

Servings: 2

Ingredients

• 1 cup chickpea flour
• 1 cup water
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon unrefined salt
• 1 teaspoon dried herbs like oregano, marjoram or even za'atar (optional)
• Toppings
• Hummus, homemade or store-bought
• Crumbled feta cheese (or goat cheese)
• Fresh diced tomatoes
• Minced parsley or oregano

Instructions

• Prepare the chickpea batter by whisking or blending until smooth the chickpea flour, water, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and herbs if using.
• Let the batter rest from 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to broil (450F).
• About 5 minutes before the batter is done resting, place a 10-inch oven-proof or cast iron skillet in the oven to preheat the skillet.
• Carefully remove the skillet from the oven with oven mittens.
• Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to coat the skillet and pour all the batter in the center of the skillet.
• Put the skillet back in the oven and broil for about 5 to 8 minutes or until the edges look cooked and crispy.
• Remove skillet from oven, allow to cool and then top with the toppings you like.
• Slice and serve.