I first became interested in soccas (chickpea flour crepes) because they are allergen-free, glutenfree, low-carb, high-protein, and delicious! Soccas go back to at least 1860. They are from southern France, but were most likely an import from northern Africa, where they eat a lot of chickpeas. In the nineteenth century, there were socca sellers at the markets and at work sites, where they provided the morning meal to the workers. The socca sellers used special wagons with built-in charcoal ovens to keep their wares hot while they announced them with the appropriate cries of “Socca! Socca! Socca!” I have kept my socca recipe simple, because I like the rustic flavor. You can top it with olive oil, salt, and fresh pepper, or go all out, topping it with things like caramelized onions and grilled red peppers.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 10-inch soccas

　　1 1/2 cups cold water

　　3 tablespoons olive oil

　　1 teaspoon kosher salt

　　2 cups chickpea flour (also called garbanzo bean flour, gram flour, cici flour, chana flour, or besan flour)

　　1/2 teaspoon cumin

　　Super canola oil or other high-heat cooking oil, such as super safflower or avocado oil

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 550°F.

　　

Step 2

In a large bowl, whisk together the water, olive oil, and salt. Add the chickpea flour, a little at a time, whisking it in completely. Stir in the cumin. Whisk for about 1 minute. You want this batter smooth! Add a little more water if it seems too thick; you want it thin like crepe batter. Once you’ve whisked it so it has absolutely no lumps, set aside.

　　

Step 3

Preheat a 10-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven, 4 to 5 minutes, then remove (with an oven mitt or pot holder; it’s hot!). Coat the pan with super canola oil, swirling it around. Then, working quickly, add a heaping 1/2 cup of the batter to the pan, swirling it around to fill the pan in an even layer. Put in the oven and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until browned a bit around the edges. Remove from the oven. Flip. It should be golden brown on the bottom. Transfer to a plate, add a little more oil to the pan, add another 1/2 cup of batter, and cook, repeating until you’ve used all the batter. You can cut it into wedges and dip it into olive oil, or drizzle olive oil on top and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

　　

Variations

Step 4

To add herbal flavor, heat 1/2 teaspoon of dried herbs such as rosemary or thyme in the olive oil for 2 minutes over medium heat. Let the olive oil cool before making the recipe. You may also make these on the stove top. I like the texture slightly better in the oven, but the stove top is much quicker. To do so, heat your cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add a little olive oil. Once hot, add the batter. Cook for about 1 minute, flip, and cook for 1 minute more. Remove from the pan.

　　Allergen-Free Baker's Handbook