Chickpea socca with tofu green goddess greens

Chickpea flour is used to make this savoury pancake from the south of France, and it's a great vegetarian meal served with a salad with a green goddess dressing.

Credit: Mary Makes It Easy

• serves

  2

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

Socca

• 1 cup (120 g) chickpea flour  
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ¾ tsp kosher salt
• 1 cup water
• 2 tbsp olive oil, divided

Green goddess greens

• ½ cup lightly packed parsley
• ½ cup lightly packed basil
• ¼ cup roughly chopped chives
• 2-3 tbsp tarragon
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard (see Note if making this as a vegan meal)
• ½ cup (120 g) silken tofu
• 1½ tbsp tahini
• 2-3 tbsp (40-60 ml) water, if needed
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3-4 handfuls rocket (arugula)
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 handful mixed herbs, roughly chopped

Resting time: 20-30 minutes.

Instructions

1. Place a 23-25 cm (9-10 inch) cast iron skillet into your oven and heat the oven to 240°C (475°F).
2. Whisk together the chickpea flour, garlic powder and salt in a large bowl. Add in the water and 3 teaspoons of olive oil and whisk to combine. Set aside for 20 to 30 minutes to hydrate the flour.
3. Remove the hot skillet from the oven and add in the remaining 3 teaspoons of oil, swirling the pan to coat the bottom. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until well-browned around the edges.
4. Meanwhile, prepare the greens. Add the parsley, basil, chives, tarragon, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, mustard, tofu and tahini to a food processor and blitz into a smooth sauce. If needed, add water, a few teaspoons at a time, to make a pourable dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Turn the grill onto high and grill the socca for 1 to 2 minutes or until the top is lightly golden. Remove the socca from the pan, cut in half or into quarters and top each with some rocket (arugula) and herbs. Drizzle the dressing over the top and serve any extra dressing on the side.

Note

• Not all Dijon mustards are vegan. Use a vegan brand of Dijon (or a different type of vegan mustard) to make this a vegan meal.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.