Socca (French Chickpea Flatbread)
A street food specialty of southeastern France, socca is the perfect flatbread for munching as an afternoon snack. And it goes great with a glass of rosé wine!
Socca Bread In South France
When I visited Nice a few years back, one of the 'sights' we were told we had to find was Chez Thérésa in the Cours Saleya open air market in the heart of Old Town.
The market was bustling with vendors, locals, and tourists. It was the hot spot to be on a beautiful day. And as we meandered with the crowd, we wondered if we would ever be able to find this famous Thérésa.
But then the crowd seemed to thicken, the air got slightly warmer, and a delicious toasted scent was distinct above the other wonderful smells of the market.
We were getting close.
As we peaked through the crowd, we realized it was in fact almost lunch time, and there was a large mass around a woman tending a steel drum. She took orders and directed patrons who desired to sit while pouring batter onto the large, fire-darkened top of the drum. The socca cooked in minutes, but the minutes dragged on in the presence of that heavenly scent, and as you realized the socca that your portion would come from was probably quite a few a way.
When the thin, crepe-like pancake was blistering nicely, Thérésa quickly sliced it into portions. Some went onto plates that were served to seated guests with a glass of rosé. Some were wrapped in paper cones and handed to those eagerly standing in line.
Socca: Chickpea Flatbread
Socca starts as a simple, thin batter of chickpea flour, water, and olive oil.
It is traditionally cooked over a fire, but a broiler or oven can work nicely instead.
No matter how you cook it, make sure you don't wait to eat it. Socca is best if eaten piping hot with a sprinkling of salt and pepper.
In my opinion, that's the essence of street food: simple and delicious.
Socca (Chickpea Flat Bread)
Ingredients
- 1 c chickpea flour
- 1 c water
- 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients except the final tablespoon of olive oil. Stir until smooth.
- Let the batter rest on the counter for 30 min, to allow the flour to absorb some of the water.
- When you are ready to cook the socca, place the 1 tablespoon of oil in a 10” cast iron frying pan. Place the pan with the oil on your oven’s middle rack. Preheat your broiler to medium high.
- Once the oil and oven are hot, remove the pan from the oven, give the batter one good stir, and pour the batter into the hot pan.
- Immediately place the pan back into the oven under the broiler.
- Bake 10-15 min checking every few minutes, as baking times will vary depending on broiler. Your socca is done when the edges are pulling away from the sides of the pan and the top is beginning to blister from the heat.
- Transfer to a cutting board and slice into pieces. Serve warm with salt and pepper.
Nutrition
Take a look at these other street food recipes form around the world!
Bread on the Boulevard
- Bavarian Soft Pretzels from The Foodie Army Wife
- Pao de Queijo from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
Hand-Held Savory Eats
- Carnitas Tortas from Cookin' Mimi
- Schnitzelwecken {Schnitzel on a bun} from The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
- Tortas de Milanesa (Pork Cutlet Sandwiches) from Juanita's Cocina
- Croque Monsieur from Peanut Butter and Peppers
- Tandoori Chicken Wrap from Foxes Love Lemons
- Samosas from Soni's Food
To-Go Containers
- NicaMales (Nicaraguan Street Food) from The Hand That Rocks The Ladle
- Poutine from Noshing with the Nolands
Sweets on the Streets
- Sweet Corn Tamale (Tamal Asado) from Basic N Delicious
- Pisang Goreng (Deep Fried Bananas) from Food Lust People Love
Sarah founded Curious in 2010 as a way to save her recipe creations and share culinary experiences. Her love for cultural cuisines was instilled early by her French Canadian Grandmother. Her experience in the kitchen and in recipe development comes from over 10 years working in professional kitchens. She has traveled extensively and enjoys bringing the flavors of her travels back to create easy-to-make recipes.
Your post is so beautifully written, Sarah. I now want to book a flight to the South of France! I imagine that along with the smells of socca, you also enjoyed the lavender perfumed fields of Nice.
You are making me want two things: One to go to France and seek out this street food and two to make it in my cast iron skillet. What a simple pleasure to enjoy!
Yum!! I have never had Socca before but look forward to making it! Thanks for sharing!
Socca is so good! I love cinnamon sugar and apples (or Nutella :-D) on mine
I've never tried it sweet. Now we've got to make it again!
Socca has been going around the blogsphere but I haven't bothered making it yet. Yours looks so easy and not intimidating at all. Thanks for the brilliant recipe.
It's not hard at all. I hope you try it!
I was standing there in that line with you, Sarah, waiting for my piece of socca and wishing I had gotten there early enough to be already sitting with a glass of rosé. You paint a pretty picture and that socca completes it.
Thanks Stacy!
Yummy! The Socca sounds absolutely delicious. Love the story too!
If I had some chickpea flour, I'd be in the kitchen right now making this!
The search for chickpea flour is quite often what keeps us from eating this all the time! I think I finally know where to get it though!
Wonderful! I have wanted to use chick pea flour and this might just be the recipe for me to use it in!! Thanks so much! Bobbi ~ Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen
Oh, what a lovely post; it takes me right back to France. These sound delicious. I am so excited you posted this recipe; I know this as Cecina and cannot wait to make it. ~ Bea @ The Not The Cheesy Ktchen
Awesome, love a little story behind the food. Now I want to go to that market and have Socca. Thanks for sharing!!
Socca sound simple and delish and I love memories like yours. Experiences like that make a trip!
I wish I had tried socca when we were in Cannes! I've made it at home, too...and it is yummy! But I'd love to try it made the authentic way 🙂
Unfortunately, nothing beats the authentic way. But, at least we can come close!
Now that sounds like an experience that I would love to have! I agree with your thoughts on street food, too. And now I neeeeed to try Socca!
I love socca. We eat it with pizza here, quite weird, but it has a big following. It looks just right Sarah!
Do you top it like a pizza? Or just eat it as a side? I bet topping it would be crazy yummy!