Socca
TIME/SERVINGS
Total: 1 hr 40 mins
Active: 40 mins
Makes: 10 socca
By Zola Restaurant
Washington, DC’s Zola has a personality all its own—maybe it has something to do with its location above the spy museum—and the fact that it serves the little-known socca proves it. This thin chickpea flour pancake hails from Nice, but it’s rarely seen outside the South of France (except in Genoa where’s it called a farinata), and we think it merits wider recognition. Add a flavorful filling—we like it with a dollop of fresh goat cheese and lots of freshly ground black pepper—fold it up, and polish a few off for a delicious snack.
What to buy: Garbanzo bean flour can be found at most health food stores or online at Bob’s Red Mill.
- 2 cups chickpea flour (about 8 ounces)
- 2 cups cold water
- 1/4 cup olive oil, plus extra for cooking
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk until large lumps of flour are incorporated and mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes; do not overmix. Cover and rest in the refrigerator at least 1 hour.
- Heat a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add about 1 teaspoon olive oil and swirl it around to coat the pan. Add 1/4 cup batter and quickly rotate the pan to spread evenly (so it’s thin like a crepe).
- Cook about 3 minutes, or until socca is slightly brown on the edges. Run a spatula underneath to loosen socca from the pan, and remove from heat. Repeat with remaining batter.
- Season with freshly ground black pepper and serve.
COMMENTS | ADD YOUR OWN
no binder?
Actually, Socca developed somewhere along the Italian Riviera long before it was so called--way back when Nice was Italian and called Nizza. It is still found all along the coast of Liguria--any kitchen store selling what look like copper pizza pans is actually selling pans for this treat, which here is called farinata. Actually seeing it made is a treat--there's a very popular restaurant in Chiavari that specializes in it. It's deep in the town (not on the seafront) and I don't recall the name but Chiavari's small enough that asking around will get you there soon enough.
Until the post World War II ear, Provence and the French Riviera were simply extensions of Piedmont and Liguria, also known as the Italian Riviera. Geography placed the Alps in the middle, and split the area between France and Italy. Since WWII, the strong cross border regional personality has been largely wiped out by French and Italian 'izations' of the region.
The great Italian patriot Garibaldi came from Nizza, now French Nice. And Monaco, with its capital Monte Carlo, are well within France. The famous Herbs of Provence are simply Italian Seasonings identical with Piedmontese and Ligurian varieties.
There was a time locals could go between regions and be mutually intelligible speaking their local dialects, and recognize each others cuisines. For example, you'll find aïoli on both sides of the border. Socca in NIce is Farinata in Liguria. Foccaccia is Fugassa in Liguria and Fougasse in Nice. It's not that these things necessarly originated on the Italian side of the border, but that the entire region shares a similar linguistic and culinary history. This is analogous to French Alsace on the German border. Although within French borderss, Alsace shares its linguistic and culinary history with the German side. Sauerkraut becomes charcroute and Riesling wine abounds.
Very nice points on national vs. regional identity.
Anyway, tried this stuff recently in Antibes, and loved it. It was cooked in a very cool, portable, wood-burning oven. Never seen one of those on wheels before. Curious to try the stove-top version at Zola and see how it compares.