Farinata, Socca, or Cecina are all names for the same tasty, thin, unleavened bread made from chickpea flour.  This chickpea flat bread is typically found in Italy; however, different regions of the world have their own names for it. No matter what you call it, it’s one of the easiest, most delicious, and nutritious breads you will ever eat!

Wedges of Socca chickpea flour flat bread on a white surface.

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Farinata (Socca) is made from chickpea flour (garbanzo bean flour is the same thing), water, salt, olive oil, and some spices if you choose.  Then poured into a very hot skillet and baked until crispy.

Those of you who follow along with my blog know that I love chickpea flour!  It’s inexpensive, easy to find, packed with plant-based protein, and simply delicious.  Although I’ve used it for many years to make things like my chickpea crepes, chickpea bread, and vegan omelets, I’m constantly finding new ways to use it.  I love it so much that I even wrote a whole blog post about all of the amazing things you can make with chickpea flour, but this Farinata recipe is one of my all-time favorites!

Why you’ll love this recipe

  • It’s naturally gluten-free and vegan!
  • It only requires a few simple ingredients.
  • Farinata is high in fiber and protein.
  • It is an easy addition to any meal that can be whipped up in minutes.
A piece of chickpea flatbread being taken out of an iron skillet after it cooks.

Ingredients and substitutions

Ingredients Needed:

  • Chickpea Flour – (Garbanzo bean flour is the same thing.)  You can find it in the gluten-free or Bob’s Red Mill section of most grocery stores.
  • Water – to get the right amount of moisture.
  • Olive Oil – for mixing in the batter and for oiling the skillet before baking.  (You can use any other neutral-flavored oil if you choose.)
  • Salt – for flavor.
  • Herbs– (optional) for flavor.  I like to use fresh rosemary for a focaccia-flavored Socca.  Italian herbs or even pesto are delicious in this bread. Coarse salt and black pepper are also delicious.

Helpful tools

  • Iron Skillet – to bake the Farinata in. I use a 12-inch iron skillet, but a 10-inch will also work; it will just be a little thicker.  You need a skillet that can be baked in the oven at high temperatures.  Make sure you don’t use a non-stick skillet or one with any plastic on it!

How to make Farinata

Step 1 – In a large bowl, mix chickpea flour, salt, and spices.

Step 2 – Pour in 1/2 of room temperature water and mix well until you have a smooth, thick batter with no lumps.

Step 3 – Stir in the remaining water, then whisk until well combined. (The batter will have some foam on the top; this is normal.)

Step 4 – Add 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil and mix again until the oil is incorporated and the batter is smooth and thin. Then let it sit while your oven heats up.

A collage of 6 pictures showing the process steps for making Socca batter by adding the chickpea flour, salt, and spices then adding the water and oil slowly until a smooth batter is formed.

Step 5 – Place an empty iron skillet in your oven and turn it on to 475°F.

Step 6 – Once your oven reaches 475°F, carefully remove the skillet. Add 2 tbsp olive oil to the bottom, swirl it around to coat the bottom, then pour in your batter slowly in a circular motion to evenly coat the bottom of the pan.

Step 7 – Bake at 475°F for 12 minutes, then set the oven to broil and broil for an additional 5 minutes to crisp the top.

Step 8 – Remove from the oven, cut into wedges, and serve immediately. (You can sprinkle it with some kosher salt and some additional herbs if you like.)

A close up of chickpea flatbread cooked in an iron skillet, sprinkled with salt and rosemary, and cut into wedges.

Pro tips

  • Never taste the batter!  Chickpea flour tastes absolutely terrible before it’s cooked!  Trust me, the taste becomes magical, but you don’t want to eat it raw or undercooked.
  • Let the batter sit for at least 15 minutes before baking it.  This will give the garbanzo bean flour time to soften and evenly absorb the water.  ( I usually make the batter, then turn on the oven and preheat the skillet.  By the time the oven and skillet are hot, the batter is ready.  Many traditional recipes call for the batter to sit for 30 minutes to 2 hours before baking; however, I don’t find it necessary to wait that long.  I’ve done it both ways and haven’t noticed a difference in the final product.
  • Chickpea flour tends to clump, so add the water slowly and stir out the clumps.  If you do have clumps in your batter, let it sit for about 15 more minutes and stir it again.
  • You can make the batter up to 1 day ahead and keep it covered in the fridge until you are ready to bake.
  • Add the olive oil to the skillet just before you add the batter.  If you let the olive oil heat to 475°F in the skillet before adding the batter, it will start to smoke, since olive oil’s smoke point is about 410°F.
  • Socca is best served hot out of the oven.  It will lose its crispiness if it sits around.
A close up of Farinata wedges on a white surface.

Variations

Foccacia – add 1 tsp of rosemary to the batter, then sprinkle with additional rosemary and coarse salt.

Onion – add 3 tbsp of very finely chopped onions to the batter.

Garlic – add 3 cloves of minced garlic to the batter.

Spicy – add 1/2 teaspoon chipotle pepper, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or a few dashes of cayenne pepper.

Cheesy Vegan Socca – add 3 tbsp of nutritional yeast to the batter or sprinkle with vegan parmesan after it cooks.

Extra Crispy – bake the Socca batter in 2 batches, each 1/2 the thickness.  This will make it super crispy and delicious!

You can pretty much add any herbs or spices that you would like to flavor this bread. I also make a similar yet thicker chickpea bread that is great for adding chopped vegetables to make flavors like broccoli cheese, sundried tomato, or artichoke chickpea bread.

Farinata (Socca) is great for eating plain or for dipping in things like pesto hummus, or easy vegan spinach dip!

More chickpea flour recipes

Farinata recipe

A close up of chickpea flour flat bread wedges know as Socca or Farinata.
Diet
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5 from 4 rating

Farinata (Socca or Cecina)

Yield: 8 wedges
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 17 minutes
Resting Time: 15 minutes
Total: 37 minutes
Author: Monica Davis
A simple unleavened flatbread made from chickpea flour and cooked thin in a very hot oven. Depending on the region, it is referred to as Farinata, Socca, or Cecina.
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Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cup chickpea flour, (aka garbanzo bean flour)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon rosemary, (or another herb of choice or leave it out)
  • 1 1/4 cup water, (room temperature)
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil, (divided)

Equipment

Instructions
 

  • Mix chickpea flour, salt, and spices in a mixing bowl.
  • Pour in 1/2 of the water and mix witha whisk well until you have a smooth, thick batter.
  • Stir in the remaining water and mix well.
  • Add 2 tbsp olive oil and mix again until the oil is incorporated and you have a smooth, thin batter. Then let it sit while your oven heats up.
  • Place an iron skillet in your oven and turn it on to 475°F.
  • Once your oven reaches 475°F, carefully remove the skillet, add 2 tbsp olive oil to the bottom, and pour in your batter slowly in a circular motion to evenly coat the bottom of the pan.
  • Bake at 475° for 12 minutes, then set the oven to broil and broil for an additional 5 minutes to crisp the top.
  • Take it out of the oven, cut it into wedges, and serve it immediately. (You can sprinkle it with some coarse salt and some additional herbs if you like.)

Notes

  • Never taste the batter!  Chickpea flour tastes absolutely terrible before it’s cooked!  Trust me, the taste changes into something magical, but you don’t want to eat it raw or undercooked.
  • Let the batter sit for at least 15 minutes before baking it.  This will give the garbanzo bean flour time to soften and evenly absorb the water.  ( I usually make the batter, then turn on the oven and preheat the skillet.  By the time the oven and skillet are hot, the batter is ready.)  Many traditional recipes call for the batter to sit for 30 minutes to 2 hours before baking; however, I don’t find it necessary to wait that long.  I’ve done it both ways and haven’t noticed a difference in the final product.
  • Chickpea flour tends to clump, so add the water slowly and stir to break up the clumps.  If you do have clumps in your batter, let it sit for about 15 more minutes and stir it again.
  • You can make the batter up to 1 day ahead and keep it covered in the fridge until you are ready to bake.
  • Add the olive oil to the skillet just before you add the batter.  If you let the olive oil heat up to 475°F in the skillet before adding the batter, it will start to smoke since the smoke point of olive oil is about 410°F.
  • Socca is best served hot out of the oven.  It will lose its crispiness if it sits around.
Serving: 1wedge, Calories: 134kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 305mg, Potassium: 159mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 8IU, Calcium: 8mg, Iron: 1mg
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