I can’t take the credit for finding this simple and versatile dish, that award goes to my friend Greg who had been telling me about something called Socca for almost 3 years now, and when I returned to the States, I finally felt adventurous enough to try this out.

Let me tell you – I was missing out! This dish is so easy, and it has become one of my favorites to eat and make in spring and summer. When I tell you this is almost as easy as boiling water or roasting veggies, I am not kidding you!

So what is Socca exactly?! It hails from the Mediterranean, and depending on where you are, different cultures take credit for this dish; some say it originated in Nice, France, while others claim it’s from Italy (where it’s called Farinata).

This chickpea flatbread is gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, nut-free, and so on. I love this because it’s a great layering piece for making an alternative to a pizza or pizza dough, and I like to have this Socca with pesto and roasted veggies or simply use it as a vehicle for dipping. Can I get some hummus, stat?! Get creative and have fun in your kitchen! This spring, I plan to start incorporating other goodies into the batter, like herbs, to give it some added flair.

The key to this dish is the high heat of the cast iron skillet and let the batter come together and have the flavors marinate together. Before making this, baking with cast iron skillets was a little intimidating; however, this will help you get comfortable with them, so don’t be afraid. Additionally, having the right extra virgin olive oil helps too, and this is a great dish to showcase the expressive flavor notes of Aqua et Oleum’s extra virgin olive oil.

This recipe was adapted and found on the Love and Lemons blog.