Nothing more than chickpea flour, water, salt, and oil transform this classic crêpe from the Nice area of southern France into a crisp and golden rewarding pleasure. Seasoned with plenty of freshly ground black pepper, it’s a regular at our table year-round.
8 SERVINGS
EQUIPMENT: A 14-inch (36 cm) round ovenproof socca pan or paella pan.
1 cup (100 g) chickpea flour (garbanzo bean flour)
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
7 tablespoons fruity, extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse, freshly ground black pepper
1. Center a rack in the oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).
2. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, and 1 cup (250 ml) water. The batter should be thin but a bit lumpy. (The batter can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance, covered, and stored at room temperature.)
3. Just before baking the socca, pour the remaining 4 tablespoons oil into the pan and brush to evenly distribute the oil. Place the oiled pan in the oven and heat for 5 minutes.
4. Pour the batter into the pan, swirling to evenly distribute the batter. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the socca is bubbling, colored a deep golden brown, and evenly dotted with little crater-like holes, 12 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle generously with pepper. Use a plastic scraper to scrape the socca into raggedy shards or cut into even wedges. Serve warm.