Friday, July 10, 2015

Socca - gluten-free flatbread!

I found this recipe on the Simple Veganista blog (listed in recipe websites below)

Made with chickpea (garbanzo) flour, this can be used as a pizza crust for all of your favorite toppings!

Ingredients
    1 cup garbanzo bean flour (aka: besan)
    1 cup lukewarm water
    2 tablespoons olive oil + more for pan
    1/2 teaspoon mineral salt

optional add-ins for variation:
    1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon cumin
    1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary or thyme
    pinch of red pepper flakes
    chopped basil
    fresh cracked pepper
    1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
    sliced shallots

In a medium size mixing bowl, add flour, water, oil and salt. Whisk until smooth, cover and let set for at least 15 minutes, up to 12 hours, covered, on the counter or overnight in the fridge.

Heat oven to 450 degrees F.

Place a well seasoned skillet on the middle rack while oven is heating (we want it to get nice and hot). Once oven is ready, carefully remove skillet, add 2 tablespoons oil and carefully twirl skillet so the oil coats the bottom evenly. Add batter and place back in the oven for 12—15 minutes, until golden on the edges and firm throughout. Once done you may like to add a more golden and rustic look, turn broiler to high, place skillet under broiler for about 2 minutes, until top starts to golden a bit.

Remove pan, let cool a few minutes, using a spatula gently push under and around the sides of the flatbread. Tip skillet to remove socca bread or carefully flip skillet over to remove. Cut into slices or pull apart and eat. Socca is best eaten right away.

Notes:

Using a 12 inch skillet, pan or baking dish will give you a thinner bread, while a 10 or 8 inch skillet will give you a slightly thicker bread. The one I have shown here is a 10 inch, bread was about 1/4 inch thick.

If you don't have an iron skillet, you can use any flat, shallow oven-safe baking dish.

Chickpea flour (aka: garbanzo bean flour or besan) can be found on-line, at most health conscious stores and at Indian and Middle Eastern markets.