Socca
Photo: Paul Downey from Berkhamsted, UK · CC BY 2.0

History

Socca came out of Genoese and Ligurian cooking centuries ago as farinata, the chickpea pancake the people of Nice adopted under the Savoyard centuries. Chez Pipo (1923), Chez Theresa (1925) and Lou Pilha Leva are the three Nice addresses still firing socca in wood ovens at 300C, the canonical city street food. Cucina Nissarda treats the dish as the Nicois centrepiece and the Cuisine Nissarde label requires it on every certified restaurant menu.

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Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 15 minTotal 45 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 250g chickpea flour
  • 500ml water
  • 50ml olive oil, plus extra for the pan
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Black pepper to finish

Method

  1. Whisk the chickpea flour, water, olive oil and salt into a smooth batter. Rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.
  2. Heat the oven to 250C with a large heavy iron skillet inside.
  3. Pour a generous slug of olive oil into the hot pan and add the batter to a 3-5mm depth. Bake 8 to 12 minutes until edges crisp and dark brown.
  4. Finish under the grill for 1 to 2 minutes for char marks. Serve immediately with sea salt and black pepper.

Tip from the editors. The pan must be searing hot before the batter goes in; a cold pan gives a soft cake rather than the crisp Nicois socca.

Where to eat socca

Socca in Nice

Chez Pipo ★ 4.5

€ Niçoise

Chez Pipo on Rue Bavastro fires socca in wood burning ovens since 1923, the cheapest meal in Nice at €3-5 a slice between Place Garibaldi and Port Lympia.

TrySocca slice

Directions

Lou Pilha Leva ★ 4.2

€ Street food

Lou Pilha Leva on Rue du Collet runs a Vieux Nice street food counter with socca and pan bagnat under €10, tiled cafeteria seating and shared tables.

TryPan bagnat and socca

Directions

Rene Socca ★ 4.3

€ Niçoise

Rene Socca on Rue Miralheti in Vieux Nice runs a self service Nicois counter with socca, pissaladiere and beignets de fleurs de courgette under €8 a plate.

TrySocca slice and pissaladiere

Directions

Chez Theresa ★ 4.7

€€ Niçoise

Chez Theresa in Nice: One of only three Nice addresses still firing socca in a 1867 wood burning oven, weekday morning stall on Cours Saleya.

Why locals goOne of only three Nice addresses still firing socca in a 1867 wood burning oven, weekday morning stall on Cours Saleya.

TipArrive at the Cours Saleya stall by 09:00; the kitchen runs the wood oven hot at 300C between 06:00 and 13:00.

Directions

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