Socca Pizza with Basil Cashew Cream, Tomatoes and Arugula
Socca are pancakes made from chickpea flour, water, extra-virgin olive oil, and salt. Chickpea flour, aka garbanzo bean flour, is a gluten-free flour that is not only delicious and versatile, it is a boon for brain health. Made from ground up chickpeas, this flour retains all the nutritional benefit of eating legumes. Nutrient-dense and with a low glycemic index, socca are pancakes (here cooked up as a pizza crust) that stabilizes blood sugar and promotes metabolic health.
Read more about the brain health benefits of chickpea flour here: Socca Chickpea Pancake.
Socca pizza: not just for summer
These socca chickpea pancakes are the perfect vehicle for wrapping, folding and topping with veggies. Here, the socca gets cooked up with crispy edges and becomes the crust for a simple pizza topped with basil cashew cream, fresh arugula, and tomatoes.
I made this Socca Pizza with my students at the Culinary Academy at Monteverdi in Tuscany last fall. Yes, the tomatoes and arugula were perfectly in season, like they can only be in Italy. But don’t let that stop you from making socca pizza throughout the year. Substitute cherry or grape tomatoes from the grocery store and any good quality greens you have on hand. Out of season tomatoes get sweeter when drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with salt, and roasted in a low oven (250ºF) until collapsed.
Basil cashew cream
For the basil cashew cream, soaked cashews are blitzed in a blender to create a smooth cream. Blending in a handful of fresh basil with lemon juice and garlic creates a bright green sauce to smear on the pizzas. Or, use it as a dip fo raw veggies, dollop on scrambled eggs, smear on whole grain toast, and fold into whole wheat orzo or a farro salad. Create other herbal cashew creams using Italian parsley, cilantro, tarragon, chives. All would be lovely spooned into a hearty bean soup.
Prep Time | 15 minutes |
Cook Time | 20 minutes |
Servings |
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- 1 ¾ cups chickpea flour
- 2 cups water at room temperature
- 1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus more for the pan and drizzling on the pizzas
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper one twist of the grinder
- 1 bunch arugula about 1 cup, coarsely chopped
- 2-3 small fresh, ripe tomatoes chopped
- 1 cup raw cashews soaked in water for 30 minutes
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon minced fresh garlic
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves
Ingredients
Basil Cashew Cream
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- Whisk the chickpea flour, water, salt, pepper and olive oil in a medium bowl. Set aside to rest at room temperature for about 10 minutes while you prepare the Basil Cashew Cream.
- Drain the cashews and place in a blender with one cup of fresh water. Blend on low so create a coarse paste. Add lemon juice, salt, garlic, and basil, and blend on high until very smooth. (Depending on the strength of your blender, this may take a few minutes.) Taste; adjust for salt, pepper and lemon juice, if needed
- To make the socca, heat a 6-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat; add enough olive oil to coat. Pour just enough batter into the pan to make a thin crepe, turning the pan to coat it evenly. When the socca bubbles and sets up, flip it over with a spatula and cook the other side for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the edges are crisp. Place on a plate or wooden cutting board. Repeat to make as many soccas as you’d like.
- While the socca are still warm, swirl a few spoonfuls of basil cream evenly over each one and top with the arugula and tomato. Drizzle with more olive oil, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cut into wedges and serve immediately.
Depending on how many socca you make, you will have leftover batter. Keep in the fridge for up to 5 days; stir to combine before cooking. Leftover basil cream keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days.
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