Socca, also known as farinata, is a gluten free, vegan bread recipe that uses 5 ingredients and can be made in minutes! Made from chickpea / garbanzo bean flour, socca can be enjoyed as a quick snack, with a meal, or piled with fixings for a pizza fix.

Socca (Farinata) Bread

This may seem rather dramatic, but socca and I are soulmates. Socca gets me and is there when I need it most.

For those of you who are gluten free or vegan, the world of bread and pizza can be a big letdown. Sure, there are substitutes, but making them at home requires expensive ingredients and a lot of time.

Socca is made with only five simple ingredients – chickpea (garbanzo bean) flour, water, oil, salt, and pepper. Pour the thin batter on a hot griddle, similar to pancakes, flip, and voila! Hot, fresh flatbread perfect for pizza, dips, open-faced sandwiches, or pianins is made in minutes!

How did I come to know of this miraculous food? Terry Gross (LOVE her) from NPR’s Fresh Air interviewed chefs from America’s Test Kitchen about a new cookbook called, The How Can it Be Gluten Free Cookbook.

How they described this cookbook blew me away, and I immediately ordered it. The whole premise is the recipes in ATK’s How Can it Be Gluten Free Cookbook must be BETTER than the gluten-full version.

When the holy grail of gluten free cookbooks arrived this life-changing socca recipe graced my life and we lived happily ever after…

What is Socca / Farinata? 

If you aren’t familiar with socca, also known as farinata flatbread, allow me to give a brief introduction. Socca is an unleavened bread made from chickpea flour, water, oil, and seasonings.

Authentic socca is an ethnic street food primarily enjoyed in southern France. Traditional French socca is very thin and crisp, more like a pancake or crepe, and best eaten hot and fresh.

Italy’s version, farinata, is made from the same ingredients, but prepared slightly different. It’s thicker, topped like pizza, or slathered with fresh pesto.

Ways to Serve Socca 

Just like another dairy-free, vegan recipe, gluten-free flatbread, there are many delicious and useful ways to use this recipe!

1. Pan fry wedges to use for dips, crostini, or spreads.
2. Enjoy with a salad to sop up that glorious dressing.
3. Drizzle with olive oil or pesto for a quick snack.
4. Pile on with cheese and toppings for an easy gluten free pizza crust.
5. Make open faced sandwiches or grill like a panini.
6. Pan fry pieces for soup or salad croutons.

How to Make Socca / Farinata Pizza

What is the worst part of being gluten free? Pizza night. Tears. Streaming down my face.

What is the best thing about socca? Pizza night! If you have garbanzo bean (chickpea) flour on hand, you can make a batch of farinata in minutes!

1. Place cooked farinata on a piece of parchment paper and assemble toppings and cheese on top.
2. Preheat oven to 500ºF with a pizza stone inside. (If you don’t have a pizza stone, a cast iron skillet may be used, but be careful transferring the pizza inside!)
3. Once the oven and stone are hot, place parchment with assembled socca pizza on top (I use a pizza peel to easily slide it on), and bake for 5-7 minutes.

Anything goes for socca pizza toppings, but here are some favorite recipes:

Alternatively, if you don’t have a pizza stone, the farinata pizza can be baked directly on the oven rack. Use a lower oven temperature of 425ºF.

• Pear, Brie, Bacon Socca Pizza
• Spinach, Prosciutto, Egg Farinata Pizza
• Socca Pizza with Summer Squash and Feta
• Lemon Herb Farinata Pizza
• Chickpea Flour Pizza with Tomato and Parmesan

Where to Find Chickpea Flour?

Many grocery stores carry garbanzo bean flour in its baking aisle or organic / natural foods section. Health food or Indian grocery stores stock it as well.

I buy Bob’s Red Mill chickpea flour or this organic version in bulk off Amazon because the price is typically better.

Chickpea Flour Benefits

Naturally gluten free chickpea flour has many names, such as garbanzo bean flour, cici flour, besan, and gram flour. They are all made from unroasted chickpeas.

Chickpea flour has fewer calories and carbohydrates than all-purpose flour and considerable more protein. Chickpea flour doubles whole-wheat flour’s protein and contains six times as much protein as all-purpose white flour.

Garbanzo bean flour also provides an excellent source of folate (seven times more than whole-wheat). It’s also a great source of vitamin B6, iron, magnesium and potassium.

How to Make Socca Recipe

1. Whisk together garbanzo bean flour, salt, and pepper.
2. Whisk in water and olive oil.
3. Batter will be thin and runny.
4. Fry in a hot skillet, about 3 minutes per side.

Best tips for making Socca

• Authentic socca / farinata recipes have the batter to rest 30 minutes up to overnight for the chickpea flour to hydrate. I’ve tried it this way, but I don’t notice a huge difference with cooking immediately.
• Make sure skillet and oil are HOT before pouring in batter.
• When the edges are set and middle starts to bubble, it’s time to flip.
• Making socca on a griddle or 8″ fry pan.
• To make farinata or a large socca pizza crust preheat oven to 400ºF. Place a generously oiled 10″ or 12″ cast iron skillet on the stovetop and heat over medium high heat. Once skillet is hot, pour in all the batter. Immediately transfer pan to oven and bake approximately 30 minutes, or until set. Top can be broiled if bottom is burning before top sets.

How to freeze Socca

With any leftover socca I have, I’ll freeze it to have on hand for quick pizzas, snacks, or dipping in soup.

1. Make sure cooked socca has completely cooled.
2. Wrap each socca pancake individually in plastic wrap.
3. Place wrapped socca in a gallon freezer bag and freeze up to 3 months.
4. TO REHEAT: Place frozen or thawed socca directly on oven rack or in toaster oven at 400ºF for about 5 minutes. Alternatively, heat a skillet over medium high heat and quickly fry in a splash of olive oil.

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step-by-step web story instructions for this recipe!

Other Chickpea Flour Recipes

• Chickpea Flour Pancakes – gluten-free banana pancakes made with chickpea flour
• Chickpea Brownies – healthy alternative to regular brownies and are fudgy, chocolatey, and easy to make
• Chickpea Fritters – flavored with spices and pan fried in olive oil until puffed and crispy
• Falafel – Use chickpea flour as a substitute for wheat flour to make the recipe gluten free
• Chickpea Flour Banana Bread –  You can’t tell this banana bread isn’t made with regular flour and is packed with protein and fiber.

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