Socca Farinata Recipes

HOW TO MAKE FARINATA

Steps:

• Combine garbanzo flour and water in a bowl; whisk until batter is smooth. Cover bowl with plastic wrap or a plate and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours. Skim as much foam as possible from top of batter. Whisk salt, rosemary, and 3 tablespoons olive oil into batter.
• Preheat oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C).
• Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over high heat and heat until smoking hot. Pour 2 tablespoons olive oil in skillet and swirl to coat bottom of skillet with oil. Continue to heat until oil shimmers and a wisp of smoke rises from oil.
• Quickly pour batter into hot oil; carefully transfer skillet to preheated oven.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cake is browned and crusty, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer immediately to a plate, cut into wedges, and serve hot. Garnish with freshly ground black pepper.

SOCCA (FARINATA)

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 450. Put a well-seasoned or nonstick 12-inch pizza pan or cast-iron skillet in oven. (If you have a socca pan, obviously that will work well also.)
• Put the chickpea flour in a bowl; add the salt and pepper. Slowly add 1 cup lukewarm water, whisking to eliminate lumps. Stir in 2 tablespoons olive oil. Cover and let sit while the oven heats, or for as long as 12 hours. The batter should be about the consistency of heavy cream.
• Remove the pan, pour 2 tablespoons of the oil into it and swirl. Add the onions return the pan to the oven and cook, stirring once or twice, until they're well browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the rosemary. Stir the onions and rosemary into the batter, then immediately pour the batter into the pan. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the pancake is firm and the edges set.
• Heat the broiler and brush the top of the pancake with 1 or 2 tablespoons of oil if it looks dry. Set the pancake a few inches away from the broiler, and cook just long enough to brown it in spots. Cut it into wedges, and serve hot or warm.

SOCCA

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk chickpea flour, water, 1 tablespoon oil and salt until smooth. Let stand 30 minutes. , Meanwhile, preheat broiler. Place a 10-in. cast-iron skillet in oven until hot, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan; swirl to coat. Pour batter into the hot pan and tilt to coat evenly. , Broil 6 in. from heat until edges are crisp and browned and center just begins to brown, 5-7 minutes. Cut into wedges. If desired, top with optional ingredients.

FARINATA WITH SAGE, OLIVES, AND ONION

Steps:

• At least 1 hour before making farinata, set a pizza stone on rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 550°F.
• Whisk together chick-pea flour and water until smooth, then whisk in salt and 2 tablespoons of oil. Let stand at least 30 minutes at room temperature.
• Cook onion with salt to taste in 1 tablespoon oil in a large heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 10 minutes, then cool.
• Put a seasoned 10-inch cast-iron round griddle on pizza stone and heat 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven and add 1/2 tablespoon oil, tilting to coat evenly. Working quickly, stir batter and ladle about 7/8 cup (1 cup minus 2 tablespoons) evenly into pan (batter will sizzle and start to set almost immediately). Quickly scatter a third of the onion, olives, and sage leaves over the batter and carefully return pan to pizza stone. If using an oven with a built-in broiler, bake 12 minutes, then turn oven setting to broil for 1 to 5 minutes. If using an oven with broiler underneath, bake 15 minutes, then transfer pan to broiler for 1 to 2 minutes. Edges should be golden brown and crisp and top flecked with golden spots.
• Slide farinata onto a cutting board. Make 2 more in same manner, reheating pan 5 minutes for each successive farinata. Halve farinata and cut into strips.