Known as socca in Provence and cecina, torta di ceci, and farinata in Italy, these thin pancakes are made from chickpea flour batter.
You can make the batter ahead and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Chickpea flour is available in the gluten-free section and Indian foods section of well-stocked supermarkets and specialty stores.
Yields 12 small crepes
Time: 30 minutes
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the pan
1 cup chickpea flour
1 cup water
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
Pinch of saffron (optional)
¼ cup sliced scallions
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary, thyme, or oregano
By hand or in a blender, mix the olive oil, chickpea flour, water, salt, pepper, and saffron until smooth and the consistency of heavy cream. Add a little more water if the batter is too thick. Stir in the scallions and herbs.
Heat a teaspoon of oil in a small crepe pan or cast-iron skillet on medium heat. Pour 2 generous tablespoons of the batter into the pan and quickly swirl the batter to make a small crepe. After about 30 seconds, when the crepe is set, flip it over and briefly cook the opposite side. Transfer the crepe to a plate and proceed with the next one, repeating until all the batter has been used.
To serve, add fillings and roll the crepes into small tubular finger appetizers and arrange on a platter. A sprig of fresh herbs, such as dill, cilantro, or basil, rolled up inside the crepe and peeking out from the ends is an especially pretty presentation.
Garlic Scape Pesto is a perfect filling … or almost any pesto. Spread the pesto thinly on the crepes, insert a sprig of dill or a basil leaf, and roll into a narrow tube.
A thin slice of feta and a sprig of dill, cilantro, or basil rolled up inside each crepe is a simple delicious filling.
Spoon about a tablespoon of Tomato-Cilantro Relish onto a crepe, squeeze a little lime juice over it, and roll up. Or, serve the relish in a small bowl on a plate of socca with thin lime wedges on the side of the plate, and use the socca to scoop up some relish, or spoon relish onto a socca, roll it up, and pop it into your mouth.
1 cup chopped grape or cherry tomatoes
¼ cup minced red onions
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
½ fresh hot pepper, seeded and minced
salt to taste
Drain juice from the chopped tomatoes in a strainer or colander for about 5 minutes. In a small bowl, mix together all the ingredients.
These versatile crepes go well with any of our three other Pestos (here to here). Hummus with Preserved Lemon and Walnut and Roasted Pepper Spread are good fillings also.