The chickpea-flour-based flatbread Italians know as farinata has been growing in popularity lately under it's French name "socca."

The fact that this international flatbread enjoyed in several Mediterranean countries is gluten and dairy free, makes it a popular, and delicious, option for those who are gluten intolerant and/or vegan. 

The basic socca, or farinata, recipe contains just a few ingredients (chickpea flour, kosher salt, pepper, water and olive oil). Basic recipes are easily found online from dozens of sources such as King Arthur Flour, The Seattle Times, and The New York Times.

You can even make your own chickpea flour to use in the recipe by pulsing dried chickpeas in a high-speed blender or grinder until they form a flour-like consistency. Then just use a sieve to sift out any big pieces. 

Once you've made your socca base, you can enjoy the flatbread as is or use it like you would a pizza. We searched around to see how restaurants are serving socca and are sharing a few examples below for inspiration:

At Nizza in New York City, there's an entire section of the gluten-free menu dedicated to socca pizzas. Guests can select from 10 socca varieties, including pepperoni, mushroom and Calabrese.

At Piola in Miami Beach, Florida, farinata is offered on the antipasti menu in two versions–one with prosciutto crudo and the other with vegetarian toppings.

At San Fermo in Seattle, the restaurant's weekend brunch features a cinnamon farinata with spiced honey. Imagine the sweet possibilities! 

 

Have you experimented with socca (farinata)? Do you plan to?