La Socca

This is a traditional recipe from Nice, but the same thing can be found in Italy as far away as Tuscany under the name of "Cecina". Typically eaten as a snack or an antipasto. In Pisa it is also eaten in a sandwich of bread made from pizza dough, known as "Fritella con Cecina". Around Livorno it is also known as "5 e 5" — because after WW II it was an inexpensive meal, the bread costing 5 cents, and the cecina costing another 5 cents.

Ingredients

400 g gram (chick pea) flour; 800 g water; 1 tsp salt; 3-4 tbsp olive oil.

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to a high temperature (250° C).
Sift the gram flour.
Mix the water, flour, salt and oil well, taking care to avoid any lumps. Be sure to add enough oil and salt, or it will end up dry and bland.
Filter the mixture and pour into a oiled pan (e.g., two 30 x 30 cm oven trays). Works best if poured thin, like thick crepes, or thin pancakes.
Cook in the oven, turning on the grill, and placing the socca close to the grill. Burst with a knife any bubble that may form.
Remove from the oven when golden brown (almost burnt in spots) ~6-10 min.
Slice into pieces and serve immediately. Add lots of olive oil and pepper.