Flat Chickpea Bread: A Perfect Saturday Morning Treat
Let's face the painful truth: chickpea omelets aren't all that great.
No, really, they aren't. You need a ton of oil to prevent them from sticking (even to that fancy non-stick pan I bought), lots of toppings and spices to make them tasty, and they sit heavy on the stomach as if you've just eaten a massive bowl of hummus and fava beans with two pitas. In short, I'm not a fan of the genre—but I do love the nutritional profile of chickpea flour.
So, if you're stuck with a bag of chickpea flour and zero clues what to do with it, I have a delicious, wonderful solution.
Flat chickpea bread baked in the oven.
In Mediterranean countries like Greece and Turkey, there is a flatbread baked in a very hot oven made from chickpea flour.
It’s called Socca, and it’s mostly eaten for breakfast.
In my opinion, that's no coincidence; chickpea flour contains a very high amount of dietary fiber which helps maintain satiety and energy throughout the day. (They know a thing or two over there in Greece!)
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How to serve it?
One serving combined with a high-protein spread (soy cheese, lentil spread) and a fresh salad makes for a wonderful, filling breakfast or a great dinner alternative.
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Nutritional values by fitness coach and nutritionist Noam Bechar:
One serving of bread contains:
250 kcal, 23g carbohydrates, 11g protein, 13g fat, 8mg iron, 16g fiber
Flat Chickpea Bread (Socca)
3 servings
What do you need?
- 1 cup chickpea flour (150g)
- 1 cup water
- Coarse salt
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- A bit of fresh rosemary
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- A 15x20 cm baking pan or a 20 cm oven-safe skillet
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to a high heat between 180°C and 200°C.
Pour the oil into the pan and place it in the oven for about 10 minutes so the oil and the pan get very hot.
In a bowl, mix the chickpea flour with the salt and add the cup of water.
Whisk well until no lumps remain.
Note ♥ The batter should be liquid, similar to pancake batter.
Once the pan and oil are hot, pour about half of the batter into the pan and bake for 10 minutes.
Then, pour the second half of the batter over it, sprinkle with fresh rosemary and coarse salt, and continue baking for another 15 minutes.
Bake until the edges start to brown and pull away easily from the sides of the pan.
The bread comes out crispy and aromatic. It must be served immediately while hot and fresh.
- The only downside to Socca is that it’s not as good cold, so it’s best not to make large quantities for later.
Have leftover chickpea flour? Make veggie fritters!
