Sesame-scallion socca

Chickpea flour pops up in cuisines from Italy to India to Burma (where it’s also used to make tofu), and there are ample reasons to stock it in your pantry. It has more protein than other flours (10 grams in ½ cup). It’s rich in fiber and naturally gluten-free with an earthy, nutty flavor. Plus, all that protein makes it sturdy enough to use in everything from baking pizza crusts to battering fritters. It also thickens when hydrated, so it’s a great binder or means to add heft to soups and gravies.

We’re using it in a scallion pancake–inspired riff on socca, a French chickpea flatbread, which originated in Nice.

This bread couldn’t be simpler to make, and transforms in the oven into a pancake that’s crispy on the top and edges and fluffy in the middle. The batter itself is natively plant-based: nothing but chickpea flour, water, oil, salt, and pepper. No yeast. No kneading. Just chickpea magic. Similar to pakoras, you can treat socca as a vehicle for any excess veggies, greens, and herbs. Or you can leave out the filling and top them with a salad or pizza-fy them with a smear of pesto. The only catch is that you need to plan—just a bit: The batter has to rest for at least 30 minutes (and up to 24 hours), so you can even whip up the mix at night and have sunrise socca in the a.m. Just add a fried egg.

Sesame-Scallion Socca

Yield: 1 12-inch pancake (6 to 8 slices)

Ingredients:

• Socca: 
  • 1 cup chickpea flour
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 2 cups thinly sliced scallions (about 2 bunches)
  • 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
• Dipping sauce:
  • ¼ cup soy sauce or liquid aminos
  • 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Procedure:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together chickpea flour, salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, sesame oil, and 1 cup lukewarm water until smooth. Stir in the scallions. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes, or up to 12 hours.
2. Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Place a 12-inch cast-iron or stainless-steel skillet on the center rack and heat for 10 minutes. 
3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sugar, and red pepper flakes; set aside.
4. Once it’s preheated, carefully remove the pan from the oven and swirl the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil around the pan. Set the oven to broil.
5. Pour the batter into the pan, swirling to coat the bottom. Sprinkle the top with sesame seeds. Return to the center rack and broil until the edges are crisp and top is golden brown in spots, 5 to 7 minutes. Let the socca cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then cut into wedges. Serve hot with dipping sauce.