Since I have a lot of sourdough starter leftover from the pita recipe, I wanted to test out some more flatbreads that I could make with it. So that’s when I decided on socca. Also called farinata, socca is a European flatbread made from chickpea flour(also called garbonzo bean flour!). Because of that, it is usually gluten-free(in this case, mine is not since i used the sourdough), and it gets super crunchy from being baked at high temperatures in a skillet. The exterior is super crunchy while the interior is creamy, almost like a hummus! The usage of sourdough was really just to add more flavor to it, since on its own, farinata is relatively bland, and the sourdough adds a tang and some umami into the mixture! That and it adds a bit of lightness as well, keeping the creamy interior from baking off dense or unpleasant. This recipe is honestly super simple, and if you do not want to use the sourdough, simply substitute out the starter with another 1/3 cup of water! Even though it contains gluten, it is still 100% vegan, and works as a quick recipe if you want to make a flatbread or even chips in a pinch!
For the socca:
1/2 cup chickpea flour
1/4 cup sourdough starter
3 tbsp olive oil with more for baking
a pinch of salt
2/3 cups water
Mix everything together in a bowl, and allow that to sit for at least 30 minutes at room temperature. Place a nonstick oven-proof pan or a cast iron into the oven and preheat it to 475 degrees F. Drizzle oil into the pan and pour in the batter. Then bake at 475 degrees F for 15 minutes. Allow the flatbread to cool down completely before removing. Store in an airtight container to prevent the bread from drying out.
