serves
4
prep
15 minutes
cook
35 minutes
difficulty
Easy
serves
4
people
preparation
15
minutes
cooking
35
minutes
difficulty
Easy
level
Ingredients
- 1 cup green pea flour (see Note)
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp chilli powder
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 90 ml olive oil, plus extra, to brush
- 235 ml water, at room temperature
- ½ cup thinly sliced eschalots
- 3 tsp lemon thyme leaves, plus extra, to garnish
- 1 tsp lunu miris (see Note) or harissa
- 1½ tbsp shredded asiago cheese
Resting time overnight-48 hours
Instructions
Place the green pea flour, salt, chilli powder and pepper in a bowl and whisk to combine. Add 1½ tablespoons of olive oil and water, and whisk to form a smooth slurry (there should be no visible lumps in the batter). Taste the batter and adjust the salt if necessary. Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or up to 48 hours to rest.
The next day, place a wire rack on the upper-second level of the oven and preheat to 230°C. Heat 1½ tablespoons ofolive oil in a 30 cm cast-iron or ovenproof frying pan over medium-high heat. When the oil just starts to smoke, add the eschalots and cook, stirring, for 4–5 minutes or until browned. Remove from the heat.
Fold the harissa, lemon thyme leaves and browned eschalots into the refrigerated batter using a silicone spatula. Coat the same frying pan with the remaining 1½ tablespoons of olive oil. Pour the batter into the pan and bake in the oven for 12–15 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown and the socca begins to release from the sides of the pan.
At this point, carefully remove the pan from the oven and brush the surface of the socca very lightly with extra olive oil. Sprinkle the cheese over the surface of the socca. Return the pan to the oven and grill for 2 to 3 minutes or until the cheese starts to melt and is just golden brown on the edges.
Remove the pan from the oven and, using a silicone spatula, remove the socca by sliding the spatula underneath the sides of the bread. Cut the socca into wedges (any size you desire) or strips. Garnish with a little extra lemon thyme, if desired, and serve warm.
Note
• Green pea flour is available in the health food aisle of selected supermarkets or health food stores.
• Lunu miris is a Sri Lankan sambol paste that's hot and spicy, and made from red onions, chillis and maldive fish. It's usually served as a condiment with meals and a little bit goes a very long way with this delicious concoction. Available from Indian food stores.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
