Socca: Will it Waffle?

Every other Thursday, we bring you Nicholas Day -- on cooking for children, and with children, and despite children. Also, occasionally, on top of.

Today: In which socca realizes it's never too late to realize its dreams.

I know: waffles for dinner again.

But look: if you finish your waffle, you can have dessert.

Shortly after reading the inimitable Will It Waffle? -- the answer is yes, dear reader -- we happened to be making socca. We were in that stage of high waffle iron usage when all foods look pre-waffled, and Anya, the other grown-up in the house, looked up from the batter and said, Waffled socca?

Socca is a chickpea pancake from the south of France (or across the border in Liguria, where it goes by the name of farinata). It’s baked in hot oven, usually. But it was meant to be made in a waffle iron. And because of the tragic shortage of waffle irons in its native region, it is only now fulfilling its culinary destiny. 

It’s never too late to live your dreams, socca. 

I’d like to tell you that this waffled socca recipe involved a lot of brutal trial and error. But it mostly involved making a standard socca batter and then -- this step is crucial -- waffling it. The waffle iron leaves the socca crispy on both sides and just tender in the middle, an irresistible snack or side. 

And you get the waffle iron pattern thrown in for free.  

Socca Waffles 

Serves 4 as a side

1 cup chickpea flour
1 cup water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
Optional herbs or spices (see note)

See the full recipe (and save it and print it) here. 

Photos by Mark Weinberg