Spring Socca Pizza
After another long winter, I’ve been feeling that itch to declutter inside and also to be outside constantly. I saw an illustration by one of my favorite artists on Instagram the other day that perfectly sums up Spring for me, with these dueling emotions of wanting a completely fresh start, but having a heavy dose of nostalgia in the mix. Are you feeling this too? On the food front, I’ve been spending less time in our kitchen and simplifying meals even more than usual. We’re entering that time of year when produce starts getting really good again and you can basically eat it as-is. I love it!
To me, this simple socca pizza tastes like Spring and—hooray!—it couldn’t get much easier to make. It’s just 8 ingredients, with the only semi-specialty item being garbanzo bean flour. I can usually find it at Whole Foods, and of course Amazon sells it as well. It’s inexpensive, very filling, and I always have some in my freezer (it keeps longer that way!) for protein pancakes and now this 25-minute socca pizza. I’ve found that cooking the socca for a few minutes in a cast-iron or other oven-safe skillet on your stovetop, then transferring it to your oven to broil yields a crust that’s crispy around the edges and doughy in the center, aka perfect.
For toppings, I like either my cool ranch or Moroccan-spiced hummus (or pre-made garlic/chive…no shame in buying a tub at the grocery store!), plus baby arugula, thinly sliced radishes, olives, a drizzle of tahini and extra virgin olive oil, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. It’s simple to the point of seeming almost too easy, and yet this meal always hits the spot.
Feel free to top your socca pizza with whatever produce looks best near you. I’m thinking some quickly blanched asparagus, chopped chives, and roasted artichoke hearts would all be amazing.
Spring Socca Pizza
Spring Socca Pizza
Serves: one 10-inch pizza (enough for 2 people)
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 25 mins
This easy vegan socca pizza uses 8 ingredients and takes just 25 minutes start to finish! If you've never tried socca (aka chickpea flour bread), you're in for a real treat. It's extremely filling and the method I'm sharing below yields a crust that's crispy around the edges and doughy in the center—perfect for piling on your favorite toppings.
Cuisine: Gluten Free, Vegan Servings: one 10-inch pizza (enough for 2 people)
Prep Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 10 mins Total Time: 25 mins
This easy vegan socca pizza uses 8 ingredients and takes just 25 minutes start to finish! If you've never tried socca (aka chickpea flour bread), you're in for a real treat. It's extremely filling and the method I'm sharing below yields a crust that's crispy around the edges and doughy in the center—perfect for piling on your favorite toppings.
Instructions
- Make the socca: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the garbanzo bean flour, water, grated garlic, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
- Set the oven to broil with a rack positioned in the middle. On the stovetop, place a large oven-safe skillet (I use a 9-10 inch cast-iron pan) over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once hot, pour the socca batter into the skillet so that it evenly covers the bottom of the pan. Cook, until the socca starts to bubble, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer the pan to the oven and broil until browned around the edges, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from the oven.
- Assemble the pizza: Use a spatula to carefully transfer the crust to a cutting board. Top with hummus, followed by arugula, radishes, and olives. Drizzle with olive oil, tahini, and a couple squeezes of fresh lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Slice and serve.
Notes [1]
Feel free to use your favorite store-bought hummus, or make your own. I love this recipe with either my herby Cool Ranch Hummus or Moroccan Hummus.
Copyright © 2023 Amanda Maguire for Pickles & Honey
