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    Home » Starters

    Farinata (Socca)

    Published: Mar 6, 2023 · by Nico

    Jump to Recipe

    Farinata or socca is an easy recipe made by mixing chickpea flour and extra virgin olive oil, then baking it in the oven for about 20 minutes.

    It's the perfect appetizer and snack and accommodates most diets as it's gluten-free and vegan. So let's see how to make it!

    farinata or socca
    On this page:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Variations
    • Tips
    • Questions
    • Make Ahead and Storage
    • More Chickpea Flour Recipes
    • Recipe

    Check out our best appetizer recipe collection!

    Farinata is a chickpea flatbread recipe known as "socca" in the southeastern part of France and "fainè" in Sardinia. It's commonly served as a street food in the northwestern regions of Italy.

    According to the legend, farinata was made for the first time in 1284, when the city of Genoa defeated Pisa in the battle of Meloria.

    The Genoese galleys, loaded with prisoners, found themselves in a bad storm with big waves.

    In the turmoil of the storm, some barrels of oil and sacks of chickpeas spill and soak quickly in saltwater.

    Since food was scarce, the sailors were given bowls of pureed chickpeas and olive oil. However, some sailors refused to eat it, leaving the chickpea mash in the sun.

    After a few hours, the sun dried the chickpea and oil mixture into a flat pancake.

    The next day, driven by hunger, the sailors ate the chickpea pancake and were surprised by its deliciousness.

    Months after returning from the sea, the Genoese improved the recipe and began cooking the chickpea puree in the oven.

    The meal was an instant success in town, and to mock the defeated city of Pisa, farinata was called "Gold of Pisa"

    From there, the dish spreads to Tuscany, where it's called cecina, and to the French Riviera, where it is called socca.

    Farinata on a tray with silver spatula

    Ingredients

    Farinata ingredients

    Chickpea flour

    Also known as garbanzo bean flour or "gram flour," and is the main ingredient for the socca batter. You can't replace it with regular wheat flour.

    We tried replacing it with fava bean flour and red lentil flour, which worked quite well.

    Extra virgin olive oil

    We recommend using extra virgin olive oil because it has a richer, more aromatic flavor that goes well with the chickpea flavor.

    Of course, you can replace it with regular olive oil, but the flavor won't be as rich and aromatic.

    Water

    Tap water is perfectly fine.

    Salt and pepper

    As per tradition, we add salt to the batter while grinding black pepper on top of the farinata before serving it.

    Fresh herbs

    After cooking, sprinkle your farinata with freshly chopped parsley or rosemary.

    Equipment

    I recommend blending the chickpea batter with a blender (immersion or regular). This way, you don't have let the batter rest for hours for the flour to hydrate.

    Don't have a blender? You can easily use a whisk or a fork, but make sure to dissolve the flour in the water entirely.

    We made this socca recipe in a quarter sheet pan (9 x 13 inches) and a round baking pan (11 inches or 28cm in diameter). Alternatively, you can use a cast iron pan.

    socca in a round shape served with olives and pesto

    Instructions

    1. Make the batter

    Preheat the oven to 480°F or 250°C. Add chickpea flour, salt, and water to a bowl and blend with an immersion blender for 3 to 5 minutes till completely smooth. You can also use a regular blender.

    If you don't have a blender, you can use a whisk or a fork, but make sure that the flour is fully dissolved in the water, and ideally, let it sit for an hour.

    Note: some people add oil to the batter, but this is not strictly necessary since we will add quite a bit of oil to the baking tray later.

    blended chickpea batter

    With a spoon, remove some foam from the chickpea batter's top. We do this because the foam tends to burn in the oven.

    foam removal with spoon and hands

    2. Transfer onto a baking tray

    Add the olive oil to the baking pan or cast-iron skillet and distribute it evenly.

    There should be enough olive oil to cover the tray's bottom fully. It is a crucial step, or your farinata will stick to the tray.

    If you don't want to use oil, line your baking pan with parchment paper. In this case, we recommend adding some oil to the batter.

    Tip: tilt the tray, and you should see a small "wave" that the olive oil creates while it runs from one side of the tray to the other.

    oil in a baking tray

    Now, gently pour the chickpea batter into the center of the baking tray, but over a spoon first, and do not pour directly into the tray.

    Pouring directly from the bowl and into the baking tray will displace the oil, and your socca will stick.

    The batter is about ¼ of an inch or 0.6 mm thick.

    hands and chickpea batter

    You should see some oil on top of the chickpea batter. It is perfectly normal.

    You can distribute the oil by moving it around gently with the back of a spoon.

    But don't let the back of the spoon touch the bottom of the baking tray. Instead, glide gently on the surface of the batter.

    chickpea batter in a tray

    3. Bake farinata

    Bake in the oven at 480°F or 250°C for 10 minutes, then set your oven to broiler mode and broil the farinata for another 8 to 10 minutes, keeping an eye on it so that it doesn't burn.

    It should be well cooked, golden and crispy on top, and soft and smooth on the bottom.

    Farinata just baked

    Take it out of the oven, and remove it from the pan with the help of a spatula. The farinata will stick to the pan a bit; that's normal.

    spatula and baked farinata

    Before serving, sprinkle with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and fresh rosemary. Enjoy while still hot.

    Farinata on a platter

    Serving Suggestions

    Farinata is best eaten hot, straight out of the oven.

    The traditional way of eating it is simple, with a sprinkle of salt and a couple of twists of freshly ground black pepper.

    You can also eat it in two slices of bread or focaccia. We like to have it:

    As a starter

    Serve it on a bed of arugula with olives, basil pesto, olive tapenade, hummus, avocado spread, grilled vegetables, or even better, with our eggplant caponata, caramelized onions, or confit tomatoes.

    Think of it as a pizza crust, and add toppings to it!

    Farinata and confit tomatoes

    For dinner

    Pair it with various vegetables for a buffet-style dinner. Serve with seasonal roasted veggies, roasted Brussels sprouts, roasted bell pepper, roasted broccoli, or artichokes.

    You can add Middle-Eastern and Mediterranean dishes like a fresh Shirazi salad, tabbouleh, Greek tzatziki, Italian sautéed eggplant, or Moroccan Zaalouk.

    Italian sautéed eggplant
    Italian sautéed eggplant with tomato and basil.

    Variations

    Inspired by this recipe, we created two main variations of farinata:

    Zucchini pie without egg: an onion and zucchini filling made with chickpea flour and coated by a thin layer of dough.

    vegan zucchini pie

    Frittata without eggs: crisp on the outside, soft and moist on the inside, this eggless frittata made with chickpea flour is easy, nutritious, and delicious.

    vegan frittata with sautéed zucchini

    Tips

    • Use a blender: blending the chickpea batter will allow you to cook it immediately without letting it rest for several hours to hydrate.
    • Pour over a spoon: don't pour directly into the baking tray, but over a spoon first to not displace the oil on the tray. This way, your farinata won't stick.
    • Remove some of the foam that forms on top of the chickpea batter. It tends to burn in the oven.

    Questions

    What is the difference between farinata and socca?

    They are the same thing. The farinata is the original dish (called Pisan Gold in the past) that originated in Genoa (Italy).

    The same dish became popular across what is now called the French Riviera (Provence), up to Nice. Back then, however, Nice was not part of France.

    From the 7th century, Nice was part of the Genoese league (Genoa was a strong maritime republic) and later was part of the Duchy of Savoy till 1860, where Italian was spoken as the primary language.

    It's easy to imagine that the close relations of Nice with what is now modern Italy contributed to some spillovers of recipes and culinary traditions.

    Make Ahead and Storage

    Make ahead: we recommend cooking the farinata shortly before serving it; however, you can prepare the batter in advance, up to 24 hours before you bake it. Keep the batter in the fridge in a bowl covered with plastic.

    Refrigerator: store leftovers wrapped in plastic or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

    Freezer: let the socca cool down completely, transfer it to a freezer-friendly container, and freeze for up to 3 months.

    Reheat: warm the farinata in the microwave or the air fryer.

    More Chickpea Flour Recipes

    If you're new to cooking with chickpea flour, get fresh inspiration with these easy recipes:

    • Chickpea crepes (chickpea flour, olive oil, water, mushrooms, etc.)
    • Savory frittata muffins (chickpea flour, olive oil, nutritional yeast, curry powder, etc.)
    • Potato frittata (chickpea flour, potatoes, turmeric, cumin, olive oil, etc.)
    • Fried eggplant (chickpea flour, eggplant, bread crumbs, grated parmesan, marinara sauce, etc.)
    • chickpea crepes with white sauce
      Savory Crepes
    • fried eggplant
      Fried Eggplant
    • Chickpea flour muffin with peas
      Chickpea Frittata Muffins
    • Potato frittata with parsley
      Potato Frittata (No Eggs)

    For many more starter ideas, check out our starters category page.

    Recipe

    farinata or socca

    Farinata (Socca)

    Author: Nico
    Farinata or socca is an easy recipe made by mixing chickpea flour and extra virgin olive oil, then baking it in the oven for about 20 minutes.
    It's the perfect appetizer and snack and accommodates most diets as it's gluten-free and vegan. So let's see how to make it!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Share Recipe
    5 from 6 votes
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Total Time 30 mins
    Course Breads, Side dish, Starter
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 8 slices
    Calories 110 kcal

    Equipment

    • Immersion blender
    • Quarter sheet pan (9x13 inches - 22 x 33cm) or round baking pan (11 inches or 28 cm)

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1 cup chickpea flour or garbanzo bean flour
    • 1½ cups water
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 2 twists black pepper
    • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 480°F or 250°C. Add chickpea flour, salt, and water to a bowl and blend with an immersion blender for 3 minutes till completely smooth.
      You can also use a regular blender. 
      blended chickpea batter
    • With a spoon, remove some of the foam from the top of the chickpea batter.
      foam removal with spoon and hands
    • Add olive oil to the baking sheet.
      You could use baking paper instead of oil on the baking sheet, but in that case, you'd have to add the oil to the batter.
      oil in a baking tray
    • Gently pour the chickpea batter into the center of the tray, but first over a spoon and do not pour directly into the pan.
      hands and chickpea batter
    • Bake at 480°F (250°C) for 10 minutes, then set your oven to broiler and broil the farinata for another 8-10 minutes.
      It should be well cooked, golden and crispy on top, and soft and smooth on the bottom.
      cooked farinata
    • Remove from oven, cut it, sprinkle it with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and serve.
      Farinata is best eaten hot, right out of the oven.
      Farinata with confit tomatoes

    Notes

    Nutrition information is an estimate for one slice of farinata out of eight slices.
    SERVING SUGGESTIONS
    We offer plenty of ideas on how to serve socca in the "Serving Suggestions" chapter above.
    MAKE AHEAD & STORAGE
    - Make ahead: we recommend cooking the farinata shortly before serving it; however, you can prepare the batter in advance, up to 24 hours before you bake it. Keep the batter in the fridge in a bowl covered with plastic.
    - Refrigerator: store leftovers wrapped in plastic or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
    - Freezer: let the socca cool down completely, transfer it to a freezer-friendly container, and freeze for up to 3 months.
    - Reheat: warm the farinata in the microwave or the air fryer.
     

    Nutritional Values

    Nutrition Facts
    Farinata (Socca)
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 110 Calories from Fat 54
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 6g9%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Trans Fat 0g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
    Monounsaturated Fat 4g
    Cholesterol 0mg0%
    Potassium 141mg4%
    Carbohydrates 10g3%
    Dietary Fiber 2g8%
    Sugar 2g2%
    Protein 4g8%
    Vitamin A 8IU0%
    Vitamin B6 0.1mg5%
    Vitamin E 1mg7%
    Vitamin K 5µg5%
    Calcium 10mg1%
    Folate 71µg18%
    Iron 1mg6%
    Manganese 0.3mg15%
    Magnesium 28mg7%
    Zinc 0.5mg3%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Did you like this recipe?We are not much on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Leave us a comment below instead, it would mean the world to us 🙂

    If you liked this Italian farinata, you might also like:

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    « Avocado Spread
    Tomato Confit »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jen

      January 22, 2023 at 12:37 am

      5 stars
      Oh my. Made the caponata from this site along with the farinata. They were so good. The farinata was such a surprise. It is over the top delicious and yet so simple. It is gold! Thank you so much.

      Reply
      • Louise

        January 22, 2023 at 6:34 am

        Hi Jen,
        Thanks so much for your comment, I'm super happy you loved the farinata. What a glorious combination next to the eggplant caponata - that's our favorite way of serving it!
        Have a great rest of your weekend,
        Kindest, Louise

        Reply
    2. Elyse

      April 02, 2022 at 1:19 am

      5 stars
      Caponata was one of my very favorite dishes that my Sicilian grandmother made. Thank you for putting the recipe out there it is a truly delicious food

      Reply
      • Chef Nico

        April 04, 2022 at 7:25 am

        It's my pleasure, Elyse! Thanks so much for your support! Cheers, Nico

        Reply

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