How to make socca, farinata di ceci and fainá

Which recipe connects French Cote d’Azur, Italian Liguria and the “Porteña” Buenos Aires city of Argentina? The answer can be found in this speciality based on chickpea flour and olive oil. In France and Italy it’s thinner and sometimes baked with rosemary. The Argentinian version is thicker and traditionally eaten together with slice of pizza.

With these proportions, a small socca of about 20 cm in diameter and half a cm high is obtained. Just adjust the proportions to bake other desired quantities.

Process:

Mix the flour, the water, a generous spoonful of extra virgin olive oil and a teaspoon of salt in a jar. Beat until getting a liquid consistency without any lump and let stand for at least half an hour (although some recipe books ideally recommend up to 8 hours). With a spoon, remove the foam that will have formed on the surface. The longer the mixture has rested, the better it will have settled and the more efficiently this foam can be removed, Add a little rosemary to taste if desired.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and heat inside a round mold or non-stick ovenproof pan for a few minutes. If the mold isn’t non-stick, pour a little olive oil and add the mixture. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, until the socca looks golden brown.

Tips and tricks:

1. When beating the mixture, don’t expect to get a bread-like dough. It will be liquid, but will firm up after baking.
2. The proposal of this recipe is 2.5 parts of water for one of flour. In this way, we will achieve a light socca. But unlike pizza dough, the proportions here are more elastic: the less water, the firmer the consistency. But personally, I recommend a light and crunchy option.
3. The baking time depends on the exact result we want to achieve, but a good socca or farinata should be always crispy and golden browned.
4. As already explained, in France and Italy socca and farinata are eaten alone, while in Buenos Aires fainá is eaten alongside pizza. Another usual alternative is either to stuff it or top it with other ingredients (vegetables, cheese, etc). For this option, stracciatella and stracchino are two Italian cheeses that I particularly recommend.
5. Do not reduce the baking time too much, as it might seem cooked outside, but it can still be rubbery and runny result in the center.
6. One curious trick is to add a bit of cumin to the mix, which is not an original ingredient. But a very small amount allows to imitate the nice smoky result that is obtained in industrial ovens, which can work at almost 400 °.