Socca Bread is my latest obsession. It’s my quick and easy gluten-free bread alternative.
I use it to make my gluten-free pizza crust and wraps. But my real obsession lately, is making ‘pita’ chips with it. It makes the perfect chip for dips.
I made these at the most recent Cooking Class and Girlfriend Sex Talk with an olive tapenade and they were a BIG hit.
I make mine with just garlic – although you can add any type of spice you like. A rosemary/thyme combo makes a delicious “Italian herb” flavor and a cumin/paprika gives it a more middle-eastern taste.
The simple garlic flavor is versatile. It pairs well with an olive tapenade or a guacamole.
It’s super easy to make. All you need is garbanzo bean flour, water, garlic, sea salt & pepper and olive oil. That’s it.
Well, I add apple cider vinegar or lemon juice to make it more digestible.
Why?
Garbazno beans (or chickpeas), like other legumes, contain phytic acid or phytates that bind to minerals like calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc, making them unavailable for our bodies to use. Phytic acid also inhibits enzymes like pepsin, amylase, and trypsin – which are needed to breakdown protein and sugars for digestion.
To reduce the level of phytates it’s important to soak the beans (nuts/seeds and grains too!) in an acidic medium like lemon juice, apple cider vinegar or whey for 12-24 hours.
I point this out because garbanzo beans are high in protein, iron and zinc. And most of my clients have low iron and zinc levels so it’s important. Every little bit counts.
The protein is a nice plus too because the chips won’t spike your blood sugar like a regular carb-loaded wheat-flour chip.
My son’s Kindergarten teacher told me about Socca earlier this year and I fell in love with it almost immediately. I think you will too.
The full recipe is below. Enjoy!
If you are struggling in the kitchen or the thought of making something like this homemade seems crazy, sign up for my Set Up Your Thriving Kitchen session. We’ll get everything you need ready so that you can make fun, delicious, nutritious food like this — easily.
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Socca Bread ‘Pita’ Chips
Makes 2 9-10” round flatbreads
1 cup garbanzo bean flour
1 cup water
1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 tsp. salt, divided
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, divided
a 9 – 10” cast iron pan
- In a quart sized mason jar, combine garbanzo bean flour, water and apple cider vinegar. Whisk until well combined. Cover and let sit overnight, ideally. If you are in a bind and didn’t plan ahead, you want the mixture to sit for at least ½ hour so that the water is well-absorbed into the flour.
- After the mixture has soaked for a while, add the garlic, olive oil and salt. Whisk well.
- Preheat the cast iron pan by placing it in your oven with the broiler set to high for 5 minutes. Rack should be about 6-8 inches below the broiler. You should also have a second rack placed on the lowest rung. You may need to move the socca down if the heat is too hot.
- With an oven mitt, remove the pan from oven. Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan – about 1-2 tsp. Whisk the batter and pour half the mixture (¾ cup – I measure it) into the hot pan. Swirl pan so that batter is evenly distributed.
- Place pan back on rack 6-8 inches below broiler. Broil for 3 – 5 minutes. Check bread at 3 minutes. If the top is browning too much, move the pan down to bottom rack and let it finish setting.
- Remove from pan. (You can stop here if you want to eat it the traditional way or use it as a wrap.)
- If you want to make chips, flip the socca with a spatula and return to broiler on the bottom rack for 3-5 minutes, checking to make sure it does not burn.
- Remove from broiler. Take the socca out of pan with spatula and let cool.
- Repeat with second half of mixture. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400F (or 375F convection if you have it)
- Place one socca on top of the other and using a pizza cutter, cut into 1 – 1.5 inch squares. Place in bowl. Sprinkle about 1 tbsp olive oil, ½ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper. Mix well and place on parchment lined baking tray. Spread out chips so that none overlap. Place in oven and bake for 5 minutes. Flip chips and bake for another 5 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cool. They will crisp once cooled.
- Serve with dip.
