Pesto Socca with Antipasti Salad
Since this involves only two ingredients—chickpea flour and water—socca has been a weeknight savior for me over the years, especially as a last-minute gluten-free pizza crust that can be cooked directly in a hot skillet. This version adds pesto to the batter (turning it green), then tops the crusty, buttery pancake with more pesto, creamy ricotta, and a briny salad of radicchio and crushed green olives. It’s best eaten with a knife and fork, which is okay, since a salad pizza might be the only type of slice that a self-respecting New Yorker would dare eat with a knife and fork anyway.
Pesto Socca with Antipasti Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup chickpea flour
- Fine sea salt
- 1 cup Arugula-Almond Pesto , divided
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 shallot , thinly sliced
- 4 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes , thinly sliced
- 2 cups baby arugula
- 1 cup thinly sliced radicchio
- ¼ cup (about 8) Castelvetrano olives, pitted and roughly torn
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup ricotta or plant-based alternative (optional)
Instructions
- Adjust an oven rack to the upper position and preheat the oven to 450°F. Place a large (15-inch) ovenproof cast iron skillet on the upper rack.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the chickpea flour and 1 teaspoon salt until incorporated. While whisking, slowly pour in 1 cup lukewarm water (Test it on your forearm. It should feel slightly warm on your skin.) Whisk until the liquid is absorbed and the batter is smooth. Let sit until the oven is hot, then stir 3 tablespoons pesto into the batter until smooth.
- Remove the hot skillet from the oven and pour in 2 tablespoons oil. Swirl around to coat the skillet well. Pour in the batter and shake the pan so it forms an even layer. Scatter the shallot and sun-dried tomatoes over the surface.
- Bake the chickpea pancake for 15 to 20 minutes until firmly set and crispy around the edges.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, toss together the arugula, radicchio, olives, 1 tablespoon oil, and lemon juice until well combined. Season generously with salt.
- Remove the socca from the oven and dot with the remaining pesto and ricotta (if using). Then top with the salad. Enjoy immediately with extra pesto on the side.
Nutrition
When pine nuts started to get absurdly expensive a decade or so ago, I began substituting whole almonds in my pesto. And when supermarkets started replacing big bunches of herbs with teeny tiny little plastic clamshells, I started using arugula as my green of choice! This pesto is peppery, garlicky, and bright. You can add parmesan for more nuttiness, but I think it tastes fresher without the cheese.
Arugula-Almond Pesto
Ingredients
- 4 cups packed arugula
- 1 large garlic clove
- ¼ cup almonds
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- In a food processor or blender, combine the arugula, garlic, almonds, lemon juice, oil, and salt and puree until smooth. Add more oil, as needed, to create a creamy texture. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Nutrition
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