I’m really excited about this post for two separate reasons – first, because I’m finally using a little bit of the cookery I learned during my time in the south of France. And secondly, because this socca is the perfect vegan answer to my breakfast dreams.

You’d never be able to tell from the recipes here, but I’m a total breakfast gal. Well, at least I was in my pre-vegan days. I’d eat toasts, omelettes, scrambles, and breakfast sandwiches with the best of them. And I suppose that ever since I went completely vegan, I lagged behind on my breakfast transformation. I was actually in Whole Foods the other day when I had that thought… I was feeling a bit wistful at the things I couldn’t eat anymore. But as I was looking at the myriad of foods around me (I think I was in the pasta aisle, of all places), I realized that I shouldn’t look at it as “missing out”, but instead an opportunity to try NEW things and reinvent my old favorites. There is SO MUCH STUFF in the world, a mind-blowingly large amount – foods, ingredients, cultures, ideas, techniques – and to get caught in my own insular idea of “breakfast” is exactly the kind of thinking I want to avoid.

So here we go, folks – a new spin on breakfast. Socca is said to have originated in Italy, where it is known as farinata or cecina. In France, however, it is called socca, and I’ve prepared this version with a sauté of garlic and onions, inspired by the piperade I learned how to make in Toulouse, France. Now, to make things more confusing, but in the spirit of gastronomical accuracy, I must mention that piperade is a dish of Basque origin made with peppers and tomatoes. In Toulouse, our cooking class centered around making a piperade with garlic, onion, pepper, tomato, and eggs, omelette style. However, since it’s November now and tomatoes and peppers aren’t in season, I made do with onions, garlic, and herbs. But I’ll definitely be back in eight months or so with the summery version!

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Socca | Provençal Chickpea Flatbread

This socca is inspired by the south of France, made with sautéed vegetables and served with fresh herbs. A perfect dish for breakfast!

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 2 -3 Socca

Ingredients

Socca

• 1 Cup Chickpea Flour besan
• 1 Cup Water
• 2 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/3 Cup Fresh Parsley minced
• 1/2 Tsp Salt
• 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper
• 1 Tsp Dried Basil

Vegetables

• 1/2 Medium Yellow Onion chopped
• 6 Cloves Garlic minced

Instructions

• In a bowl, mix chickpea flour, water, olive oil, parsley, salt, pepper, and dried basil. Stir until evenly combined, then let sit for at least 20 minutes, so batter can set.
• Prep vegetables – chop onion, mince garlic.
• Cook socca in batches, omelette style. To start, bring a skillet to medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Once pan is hot, add in some of the chopped onions and garlic, as much as you like. Sauté for a few minutes, until garlic is just before browning.
• Split the batch of onions and garlic in half or in thirds, depending on how many socca you want to make. Remove from the pan. Then, add in a portion of onion and garlic back into the pan, and spread out evenly in preparation for the batter. Also, make sure your pan is well-oiled – socca can be notoriously sticky.
• Then, add some of the socca batter, enough to cover the onions and garlic. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side, or until slightly browned. This will depend on the temperature of your pan.
• Repeat with the remaining onions and garlic and socca batter. Make sure you add in a little oil to the pan between batches, so socca won’t stick.
• Serve socca with a sprig of fresh parsley, and any sauces or accoutrements that you like. Enjoy! 

Notes

Socca is delicious on its own, but I like to serve mine with a little Cholula hot sauce. Pesto or chimichurri would be yummy as well!

Song of the Day:

God Only Knows – The Beach Boys