Crispy Socca with Avocado Mash

I'm completely in love with this simple, plant-powered, grain-free recipe.  I make it as a before-dinner nosh all the time.  The super crispy thin and slightly nutty warm socca pairs perfectly with the creamy, cool avocado mash.  It is loaded with protein and fiber from the chickpea flour and then topped with healthy fat and more fiber from the avocado for an incredibly satisfying pre-dinner snack.  It also makes a fun appetizer when entertaining.  It is like gourmet street food and will make your kitchen smell amazing when it comes out of the oven.  Your guests will want to dive right in.  Whenever I serve it it disappears almost instantly.  People just cannot resist thin, crispy, delicate, golden brown homemade socca!

I have talked about socca on this blog before and as I have continued to make it, I continue to come up with new variations.  One of the biggest differences between this recipe and most other socca recipes is this one is much thinner and crispier.  My previous socca recipe was used more as a flatbread/pizza crust.  This new one is almost paper thin and completely golden brown and crispy throughout.  I achieve this by dividing the batter in half, flipping the socca toward the end of baking and increasing the water and oil used in the recipe.  It sounds so simple and somewhat obvious, but it transforms this flatbread into a flaky crispy tostada-like miracle.  It is light and delicate and perfect for topping with your favorite dip.  The crispy factor combined with the flaky sea salt makes this flatbread so addictive.  I typically end up eating an entire socca myself in one quick sitting.  Good thing this recipe yields two!

If you haven't seen socca all over the internet lately and are wondering what I'm talking about, here is a quick overview.  It is an oven-baked flatbread/crepe typically made in a cast-iron skillet coated in oil.  It is essentially just cooked garbanzo bean flour (chickpea flour) and water.  That's it! 

You can flavor the batter with salt, pepper, garlic powder, nutritional yeast, maple syrup, red pepper flakes or fresh herbs.  I kept the recipe below neutral for more versatility but you can certainly play around with adding herbs and spices to vary it up. 

I fell in love with socca a couple months back and started using it as a pizza crust and flatbread.  It has been perfect for me since I'm allergic to yeast, wheat, gluten and eggs.  

This socca recipe is versatile and basically creates a large crispy chip that you can rustically break apart and use in so many ways.  It would make a great addition to salads, soups, chilis and stews in place of bread.  It can be topped like a crispy flatbread or gourmet thin crust pizza.  And I love to dip it in just about anything since it is neutral in flavor.  

Here, I paired it with a 3-ingredient avocado mash that you can quickly make while the socca bakes.  I simply mash California Avocados with flaky sea salt and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.  It is cool, creamy, salty and perfect with the crispy socca.  Plus, the avocado adds healthy fats, dietary fiber and nearly 20 vitamins and minerals such as potassium, folate, vitamin E, C and B6. 

This recipe is vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free, egg-free and dairy-free.

I hope you love this crispy socca as much as I do. It is so addictive and easy to make.  If you give it a try, please let me know! Leave a comment below, rate it and tag your photo @eatingbyelaine and #eatingbyelaine on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook so I can see your creations!

Crispy Socca with Avocado Mash

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5 from 1 reviews

• Total Time: 41 minutes
• Yield: 2 soccas (serves about 4 each) 1x

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Description

This crispy socca is naturally gluten-free and grain-free and has the most addictive texture.  It is perfectly golden brown throughout and is super thin and crispy (but not as hard as a cracker).

Here, I paired it with an easy 3-ingredient California avocado mash for a satisfying snack or appetizer.  The cool, creamy avocado mash over the warm, oven-baked golden brown socca is heavenly.  I love to sprinkle fresh cilantro and extra flaky sea salt on top for added flavor and freshness.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Socca

• 1 cup packed chickpea flour
• 1 ¼ cup filtered water
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil (or extra virgin olive oil) + 4 tablespoons more for pan (see instructions)
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
• Flaky sea salt for garnish

Avocado Mash

• 2 ripe California avocados
• 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt (plus more for garnish)
• squeeze of fresh lime juice to taste

Optional: fresh cilantro for garnish

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.  Add 2 tablespoons oil to a 10-inch cast iron skillet and set aside.
2. In a medium sized mixing bowl with a pour spout, whisk together chickpea flour, water, 1 tablespoons oil, maple syrup, salt and garlic powder if using.  Once no clumps remain and batter is smooth, divide into two even parts.  I typically pour half (about ¾ cup) into a glass measuring cups with pour spout.  Set aside.
3. Once the oven has reached 450 degrees, place the oiled skillet in the oven for 5 minutes.  During this time you can make the avocado mash.  In a small mixing bowl mash the California avocado with a potato masher or fork.  Add salt and small squeeze of lime juice.  Taste and adjust salt and lime juice to your liking.  Set aside in your refrigerator.
4. After five minutes, remove the skillet from oven with oven mitts.  Swirl the oil around to evenly coat the pan.  Place the skillet on a flat surface and pour ¾ cup of the batter in the center.  Allow the batter to form into a large circle covering the entire pan.  You may need to swirl it around slightly while wearing your oven mitt.  Place the skillet back in the oven and cook for 15 minutes.
5. Carefully and gently flip with a large spatula and return to oven for 3 minutes.  Immediately garnish generously with flaky sea salt. Remove the first socca from the skillet and onto a serving plate and garnish with flaky sea salt.
6. For the second batch, add 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet.  Add the final ¾ cup of the socca batter and swirl around to evenly coat the skillet.  Repeat the cooking process (bake for 13-15 minutes, flip and bake for another 2-3 minutes).  Watch closely at the end as the second batch tends to cook a bit faster.  Remove from oven and garnish with flaky sea salt.
7. Serve the socca out of the pan or carefully move to a serving plate.  Serve with avocado mash on the side for dipping or place the avocado mash on top of the socca as pictured.  Add more flaky sea salt and cilantro as an optional garnish.  Slice and serve immediately.

• Prep Time: 5
• Cook Time: 36

This recipe is sponsored by the California Avocado Commission.  All writing and opinions are my own. 

Recipe inspired by Pinch of Yum.