In our house, a familiar weeknight meal is Socca. A thin pancake made with chickpea flour. Often fried with added herb. It is a bar favorite in the South of France and makes for a hearty snack. I also like it as a side to Indian dahls with added warm spices. When looking for something a little heartier I turn to something like this Spring Chickpea Frittata. When cooked with a little thickness, chickpea flour results with the inside being a more creamy and tender. It has a great binding capacity making just perfect for a those non eating dairy.
I should really put frittata in quotation marks since the delight of this dish needs not be pretending to be something it’s not. You also would not mistake the eggy custard of a traditional frittata with this one. But you understand how it works…..pan, with sauteed vegetables, bound together in a creamy medium, that is finished off in an oven….frittata. So there you go.
This week I opted for a Springy version, using zucchini, spring onions, potatoes, the remains of asparagus and fresh dill. I have also made a Spanish Tortilla version with peppers, potatoes, garlic and saffron. Also quite wonderful. So you can see it’s pretty versatile. For ease of cooking I make the entire thing in one of my well used cast iron pans (pretty much the only thing I use). You could also pour this all into a rectangle or square cake pan and cut squares for snacking, or cocktail pairing. To round it out into a complete meal, just pair it with a zippy salad, like this one.
Chickpea flour can be found in the baking aisle, and in most health food stores. I have also seen it in bulk bins from time to time. I happened to have purchase mine from Bob’s Red Mill because I buy it by the case. Chickpea flour has a lot of uses, and is a terrific way to give your dish a nutritional boost. It’s gluten free, and though it’s not completely interchangeable with wheat flour, it is terrific for battering, or adding into a muffin or pancake recipe for a nutritional boost.
Cooking Tips
Traditional recipes for cooking with chickpea flour call for heating the pan in a scorching oven with a lot of oil. I have found this to be completely unnecessary and honestly, less preferred. It’s also frightfully dangerous. Instead I warm a well seasoned cast iron pan over medium heat and give the chickpea flour plenty of time to cook. It has more moisture in it than a wheat flour pancake batter, so it takes a bit longer than you might be used to. Be patient. When it is completely cooked it will easily release from the pan without all the oil. Alternatively you can use a nonstick pan just the same, just don’t be tempted to overheat it. You want a nice moderate heat that will give you a crust without burning, while cooking through.
For the frittata it’s a little more difficult to test for doneness since the yellow cast makes it harder to see browning. So go by the edges, set a timer, and be sure to give it a good poke. The center of the frittata should be firm to the touch when it’s done. Good news! You can’t particularly over do it- the result is more cracker like and equally delicious.
I hope you enjoy it! If you make it be sure to tag me on @ahealthyhunger with #AHHrecipes
Combine the chickpea flour, milk, water and salt in a medium bowl and whisk smooth. Set aside to allow the flour to hydrate for a minimum of 30 minutes. This can be done earlier in the day and if necessary. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a nonstick or well seasoned cast iron pan, sautee the potatoes. Add water in 2-3 Tablespoon amounts to assist in non sticking and steaming the potatoes, 2 minutes. Add the onions and garlic and continue to cook for 2 minutes more. The potatoes and onion mixture should be just undercooked, and not browned. Season with salt and pepper. Re-whisk and then pour the chickpea mixture over the potatoes, then add the dill, scallions and zucchini on top. Heat over the stove for 2 minutes over medium, then slide the pan into the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes, until firm to the touch and a little brown around the edges. Slice into wedges and serve. Read post for success notes.
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes