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Socca (Chickpea Flatbread)

(recipe, M. F. K. Fisher)

Ingredients

1. 1 cup water
2. 1 cup chickpea flour
3. 2 Tbsp. olive oil
4. 1 Tbsp. salt
5. Freshly ground black pepper (optional)

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Grease a cookie sheet with a 1-inch rim.
2. Mix together all the ingredients and beat well for several minutes. Pour the batter through a sieve onto the oiled cookie sheet, discarding any lumps.
3. Place the sheet on the middle rack of the oven and turn on the broiler. The flatbread should cook in just a few minutes, so keep an eye on it; prick big bubbles as they form.
4. When done, remove from the oven, slice with a pizza cutter, and serve immediately, with freshly ground black pepper if you like.

Note

Here's Fisher's description of how she makes socca. The Culinate interpretation is above. "When I make socca at home, I take equal parts of water and chickpea flour (about one cup each), two tablespoons of olive oil, and one tablespoon of salt. Then I beat it hard — you've got to beat the hell out of it, really — and, since there are always a few lumps, I pour it through a sieve onto an oiled 1-inch-deep cookie sheet. I put it in the middle of a really hot oven, preheated to 500 degrees, then I turn on the broiler. It goes very fast, only a few minutes, but you have to keep your eye on it and use a long fork to prick the big bubbles as they form. It should go right from oven to table."