This crisp-on-the-edges, tender-in-the-middle savory pancake couldn’t be easier to make. All you need is a bag of chickpea flour plus water, oil, salt, and the foresight to let the mixture rest for 30 minutes so it can thicken and hydrate. Also called socca or farinata, the pancake can serve as a blank canvas for any manner of simply cooked vegetables. Here it’s loaded with lemony mashed peas and blanched spring vegetables (snap peas, snow peas, asparagus, or whatever looks good to you), but that topping can be burst cherry tomatoes, sautéed eggplant, or even roasted cauliflower, depending on the season.
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What you’ll need
Cast Iron Skillet
$30 At Amazon
Slotted Spoon
$17 At Amazon
Citrus Juicer
$15 At Amazon
Flexible Metal Spatula
$11 At Amazon
Recipe information
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Whisk chickpea flour, 1 Tbsp. oil, 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and 1 cup water in a medium bowl. Let sit 30 minutes to hydrate.
Step 2
Meanwhile, if using sugar snap or snow peas, remove strings and stems, then cut some in half. If using asparagus, cut off woody ends and discard; coarsely chop.
Step 3
Place a rack in middle of oven. Set a 10” cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet on rack; preheat oven to 475°. Cook green peas in a medium pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to another medium bowl. Cook snap peas, snow peas, and/or asparagus in pot until tender but with some bite, 1–2 minutes. Drain; pat dry. Transfer to a small bowl.
Step 4
Add tahini, 1 tsp. lemon juice, and 1 Tbsp. oil to bowl with snap peas; season with kosher salt and pepper. Toss to coat; mix in nuts.
Step 5
Add garlic, ¼ cup oil, ½ tsp. lemon zest, 1 Tbsp. lemon juice, and remaining ¼ tsp. kosher salt to bowl with green peas; season with pepper. Using a fork, smash mixture to make a thick spread.
Step 6
Carefully remove skillet from oven and pour in remaining 1 Tbsp. oil; swirl to coat. Add chickpea batter and quickly return pan to oven. Bake pancake until set and crisp around edges, 18–20 minutes. Using a spatula, transfer to a plate.
Step 7
Spread smashed pea mixture over pancake. Spoon dressed pea mixture over. Top with mint and remaining lemon zest. Season with sea salt and more pepper.
Recipe notes
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