Socca Recipe: The French Appetizer from the Riviera (2024)

FAQs

What is socca french? ›

This chickpea flatbread (known as “socca”) is a little culinary treasure hailing from the sun-kissed Ligurian Coast, stretching from Italy to France.

Socca is also known by the names of fainá or farinata (coming from Argentina and Italy, respectively), but they are all essentially the same recipe using chickpea flour, olive oil, and water — and all have a crispy, nutty flavor.

Socca is a gluten-free chickpea flatbread from Nice, France. It's surprisingly easy to make at home, and it's a delicious appetizer or meal on its own.

Socca is a finger food, traditionally eaten hot as a snack, and is served with a big, metal shaker of finely ground pepper: the more pepper you put on it, the better. Another great accompaniment is a small jug of chilled wine of the region: white, rosé or red.

History of Socca

Legend has it that the recipe for socca was discovered when the Turks attacked the city of Nice in 1543. When they ran out of ammunition, the Niçois mixed hot oil with chickpea soup and poured it down off the top of the walls and onto the heads of the invaders.

Pasting properties of both the flour of legumes were significantly different (P < 0.05). Chickpea flour had a lower pasting temperatures and the peak, final, and setback viscosities than dried green pea flour. These characteristics seem to be related to the increased fat content of chickpea flour than green pea flour.

It can be used in gluten free baking to create pizza crust, pancakes, flatbread and more with a distinctive color and nutty flavor. Garbanzo bean flour (aka chickpea flour) is creamy and rich, lending a fantastic texture to baked goods. Fava bean flour has a distinctive earthy flavor.

Socca offers several health benefits, including being gluten-free, high in protein, and a good source of fiber.

Gram flour, also called besan, garbanzo flour, or chickpea flour, is made from ground chickpeas, which are naturally gluten-free. Chickpeas also have many names, including garbanzo beans, garbanzo, gram, Bengal gram, Egyptian pea, cici beans, chi chi beans and cece beans.

What does socca stand for? ›

The Society of Critical Care Anesthesiologists (SOCCA) is the sole organization dedicated to the continuation of the role of anesthesiologists in providing critical care services.

Chickpea flour has less calories and carbs—plus more protein. Below are the nutritional break downs for each flour per cup: Whole wheat: 408 calories, 3g fat, 86g carbohydrates, 16g protein. Chickpea: 356 calories, 6g fat, 53g carbohydrates, 21g protein.

The socca (for the pronunciation swallow the 'a') is a crepe made from chickpea flour and cooked in a wood oven. His preparation alone is a show; its cooking, the turning of huge plates and the virtuosity with which it is cut to be served hot, just out of the oven, accompanied by pepper and without the help of cutlery.

Use them instead of hominy in a veggie-based pozole, serve them solo in a salad dressed with lemon and herbs, or toss them with pasta, greens, and mozzarella for a flavorful go-to weeknight meal. We have plenty of chickpea recipes to celebrate the legume's versatility.

This traditional flatbread is made with chickpea flour, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Once the batter is prepared, it is transferred to a wide pan or a skillet, which is placed in the oven at very high temperature. The batter is then baked until the socca hardens and begins to slightly burn on the edges.

The name chickpea comes from the Latin word cicer, referring to the plant family of legumes, Fabaceae. It is also known by its popular Spanish-derived name, the garbanzo bean. Kidney beans, black beans, lima beans, and peanuts are other familiar foods found in this legume family.