Socca Flatbread

The cold weather has moved in, and my instinct to retire after dark, curled up on the couch with a mug of tea has as well. Oh Vermont, you do know how to turn a 26 year old into an old lady. The good news is that IT has arrived.  You guessed it: soup season. 

I could eat a bowl of soup all by itself, but it is also nice to have a big hunk of bread to carry it to my mouth once in awhile. Trying to avoid refined flour, and often gluten in general, I have developed a new love for whole grain flatbreads. Often multigrain and always loaded with herbs and spices, they are my perfect solution. Wholesome, nourishing and comforting. That is my kind of carbo-loading.

This flatbread took a trip to India, loaded with bits of toasted cumin and ajwain seeds, chopped cilantro and a nice smear of coconut oil. But it could easily go Italian, using fresh rosemary, bits of basil and topped with a smear of garden pesto. It is exclusive to chickpeas, but I could imagine substituting some out for brown rice, buckwheat or quinoa for some interesting twists. I like to grind my own grains to maximize nutrition and flavor, which can be done in a grain mill or high powered blender (another reason I love my Vitamix).  In a pinch, pre-ground flours works just fine. 

Try this flatbread served with a bowl of Red Lentil Dal or Mulligatawny Soup. It is also delicious as an appetizer with a smear of Babaganoush or your favorite hummus. 

Socca Flatbread

Serves 8

Ingredients

2 cups chickpea flour

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon cumin seed

1 teaspoon ajwain seed (can substitute coriander seed)

1 tsp. salt

3 cups water

1 tbs. coconut oil

2 tbs. minced cilantro

additional salt for finishing

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 

If doing so, grind approximately 1 3/4 cups dried chickpeas to produce 2 cups of flour (stick them in the freezer for an hour first so that when you go to grind them the motor and volatile oils stay cool). Mince the garlic and set aside. Heat a small pan over medium heat and toast the seeds until fragrant, only a minute or so. Grind to a coarse meal using a mortar and pestle or small coffee grinder.

In a medium bowl, combine the chickpea flour, minced garlic, salt and spices. Add water gradually, until you reach the consistency of heavy cream. 

Prepare a baking sheet with tall sides with a layer of parchment paper. Pour in batter and tip to create an even layer. Bake for 15 minutes, using a convection fan if you have one. Remove, spread with coconut oil and garnish with cilantro and salt. 

Relax. Eat Well.