Chickpea Socca with Lemon & Herbs

Socca is the working bread of Nice — chickpea flour, water, olive oil, and a very hot oven. It needs no adaptation to be gluten-free; it never contained gluten in the first place.

Batter

• 200 g fine chickpea (gram) flour
• 500 ml warm water
• 4 tablespoons good olive oil, plus more for the pan
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 sprig rosemary, leaves chopped fine

Whisk to a thin, smooth batter. Rest 30 minutes at room temperature.

Method

1. Heat the oven to 240°C with a 28 cm cast-iron pan inside for at least 15 minutes.
2. Carefully pull the pan out, swirl in 2 tablespoons olive oil, then pour in the batter — it should sizzle and settle into a thin layer.
3. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until the top is set, the edges are crisp, and patches of dark gold appear.
4. Slide under a hot grill for 2 minutes to blister the surface.
5. Slice into rough wedges. Finish with flaky salt, black pepper, lemon zest, and more rosemary.

Eat hot, with a glass of something cold. Cold socca is fine; hot socca is the point.