it’s been such a quiet week here (or at least my corner has retained an honest degree of stillness). the week was spent ignoring (not so much fighting) the seasonal nuisance that is a cold. and instantly i am transported to week’s end – a quick review of time and space and friday is already upon us! my skin is surely less pallid, and the atrocious elements that compromise immunity have begun to flee. if there’s one negotiation i would make with this season, it would most certainly be the threat of dreary illness that weaves itself in between the periods of romantic snowfalls. but for stronger days and the sake of a brilliant and relaxing weekend i will ditch you the misery!
the atmosphere is starting to change significantly. although we are slated for another sixty degree weekend (absurd), the days are short-lived and the nights are drastically chilled from a prior sun-drenched reading. the stars are sharp pin-pricks in the bed of the night sky. the garden beds are empty, save the hard tempered greens (and some cruciferous friends) and that thrive in the cold. already we are receiving seed catalogs for the new year (endless hours of enthrallment). the dog walks are in the dark, where she is an inky jet stream on an ebony evening. our pace is brisk but jovial. it’s fun to gear up, so to speak. it’s nice to embrace the elements in whatever form they decide to take. fire is to ice. wind, rain, snow, sun.
socca is a genuine treat to delight in. i have taken a sincere affection for treating it as flat-bread or pizza and topping it with a seasonal approach. it behaves rather well this way, and makes for creative ventures. you will come to find (if not for slowly revealing itself unto you) that i am relatively into chickpeas (into like, i dig you man). they are a wealth of flavor and nutrition – and so often a staple for my diet. this socca + beet top pesto is the perfect addition to friday night festivities (or simple weekend luxuries), and if you don’t have chickpea flour it’s easily made (blend dried).
i hope the weather is just the way you like it where you are, and that the weekend follows in suit.
- 1 cup chickpea flour
- 1 / 2 tsp cumin
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbl olive oil
- 1 tbl minced rosemary
- beet top pesto:
- greens from two beets
- 1 / 4 cup arugula
- 1 tbl dill
- juice of 1 / 2 lemon
- 1 / 4 cup pecans
- 1-2 tbl olive oil
- olive oil
- leaves from 8-10 brussels sprouts
- 1 cup green olives, halved
- 2 shallots, sliced thin
- juice of 1 / 2 lemon
- 1-2 tbl crushed walnut
- in a large bowl whisk together chickpea flour and cumin. slowly add water and olive oil, allowing flour time absorb liquid and come together. mix in rosemary. cover bowl with a tea towel and place aside 2 hours.
- to make pesto combine beet greens, arugula, dill, lemon juice, pecans in the bowl of a food processor. with motor running slowly add olive oil to form a paste. set pesto aside.
- toss brussels sprout leaves with 1 / 2 tsp olive oil and set aside.
- saute shallots in a small pan with a drizzle of oil, 5-7 minutes, until soft and browned.
- heat a 10 inch cast iron pan in oven's broiler on high. carefully remove and 1 tbl oil to sheen the bottom. pour in the thickened socca batter to coat the entire bottom. broil 8 minutes or until browned slightly around the edges.
- remove from oven and turn oven to 400 degrees. dress socca in cast iron with pesto, olives, brussels sprouts, and shallot. dress top with lemon juice,
- cook socca in oven again, 10-15 minutes, or until brussels sprouts are crisp. allow to cool. top socca with crushed walnuts and enjoy.
I have never had Socca before, but this makes me want to try it all! With beet tops and olives? Yes, please. Also, I would say I’m jealous of your warm(er) weather, but I have to admit, the cold, drizzly, mess of weather we’ve had here in Portland warms my heart. I’m one of those weird people who loves the sound of rain, meaning Portland agrees very well with me! Anyway, this is beautiful.
And PS, this line: “The dog walks are in the dark, where she is an inky jet stream on an ebony evening” captured my heart. Inky jet stream. Such a great line.
Thank you so sweetly, Brooke! And you are not alone in your adoration for the rain. It’s something I often miss here in South Dakota (we don’t get enough). The scent, the sound, the connotation it bestows on the day. Grey skies are among my favorite. ♥
Ooh, I have never made socca before but you make it look so easy! And it’s gluten-free! I am also really digging this beet green pesto. Our weather has strangely been in the 60’s as well. It’s November, right?!
Thank you dearly Tessa! Yes this is a great gluten-free option. The chickpea really makes for an amazing vehicle, as well the beets really deliver (i have a hard-wired love for them). Enjoy your warm weather while you have it and cheers to looking forward to the cozy of the future! ♥
This looks absolutely divine!! Stunning photos too 😀
Thank you so much Sarah, you are the sweetest! ♥
Yuuummm! I love socca and your toppings look amazing. I’ve never tried grinding my own chickpea flour…is there a difference? Is it worth grinding vs. buying?
Sofia thank you for loveliness! With regards to the chickpeas – I find that when I grind them myself they retain a much fresher flavor. So long as you already own a higher powered blender, I think it’s much cheaper to self-grind, as well. ♥
Oh I love that you’re grinding your own chickpea flour! I have yet to try it but now I’m inspired! This is such a lovely recipe Danielle. I love socca SO much. Your take on it is so creative and wholesome, I just love everything about it. Beautiful work. <3
Sophie don’t even hesitate! Grinding chickpeas at home is a great way to go. I absolutely adore all the applications the flour has. Thank you so much for your love, it means a lot to me. ♥
i love love love socca, i am all about pesto made with seasonal greens, and brussels sproutsss (do i even need to say?) so this is like the meal of my dreams.
it’s so funny for me to hear people talk about 60-degree weather as something unseasonably warm. here, everyone starts donning as many scarves and boots as we can and squeeing about how cold it is. hahaha. it’s amazing how many unique climes the world hosts and how much it affects our experience in so many different ways and on so many levels.
i hope you have a great weekend, danielle! xo
jaime, i just love socca, too! and all greens, all the time (2016 garden has some really interesting prospects!) there are so many options. thank you for the ultimate sweetness.
i totally hear you on the weather sentiments. i’ve definitely experienced what you speak of. but it makes for an interesting dynamic here, as many townsfolk are in shorts in 35-40 degree weather!
The appreciation is mutual. Gorgeous pics and more particularly words! Flicking through ur posts I’m intrigued by so many ingredients and dishes. Looking forward to having the time to explore more in depth.
Ps: the weather here is a very wet spring day, perfect for making mending clothes and great for the corn out back.
Nicola thank you so sweetly! I’m truly glad the feelings are mutual, and that you dig the dishes! And I am living merrily through your blossoming an rainy spring (dreaming of corn again). Thank you for visiting! ♥
Oooh your socca looks incredible Danielle! LOVE all the greenness going on – the beet-top pesto has me intrigued, and great idea to use brussel sprouts too. I know what my next use for chickpeas will be (besides hummus, that is!!). Gorgeous writing too, as always <3
Thank you so much darling Claudia! Can you tell that green is my favorite color? I thrive off of it, even in our winter. I’m so delighted that you like the socca pizza hybrid, wishing you a happy week! ♥
What a fantastic and creative dish!! There’s so much about this that I love!!
Becky thank you so much, and for the visit! I’m glad you enjoy – I was trying to wrap some of my favorite autumn flavors into a delicious package. xo
I love starchy things like pancakes, pizzas, and flatbreads and I keep seeing socca around but haven’t had the chance to make it myself! Love that you are using beet greens- it makes me so sad when I see people toss out their vegetable tops. This sounds delicious and it might be time I finally give socca a go!
Genevieve, thank you lovely, and I do hope that you are able to try socca sometime soon – it’ll make you swoon, a delightful treat. & I’m right there with you on the head to toe vegetable use, it’s one of the most celebratory things I can do with the garden. ♥
I love how you’ve dressed your socca ~ beet greens are powerfully nutritious and underutilized – so gorgeous in this pesto too! Purchased plant flours can be hit and miss… sometimes you get lucky with the freshness and other times they taste rancid from the get go. How nice to grind your own (and more economical too I bet!) Such a beautiful recipe Danielle. ps. I’m admiring the design and subtle colour palette of your logo for rooting the sun – so lovely.
Kelly you are the absolute sweetest, your comments mean everything to me. I love being able to utilize a vegetable or plant in its entirety (minus those pesky nightshades). – – Also, I agree with you on the blended flours, I’ve had experiences both good and bad, so to be able to do it yourself is a great resource. & thank you for your thoughts on the logo, i’m quite excited with the way it came out. ♥
Beautiful and inspired as usual! I need to grind my own flour… There’s no excuse not to! Thanks for the inspiration
I too have been ignoring (for as long as I could) a cold this week (major ugh) but I’m finally on the mend and glad to hear you are too.
Thanks for the continuous doses of inspiration jumping from the pages of your site!! ♥♥♥
Alena
Alena thank you so much, you’ve given me the biggest smile! Colds are such a bummer element of this time of year – but I figure with all the lovely greens we eat our mend time is quick! I’m so happy you enjoy my blog, it’s a huge compliment from you! ♥
Hey Danielle. Yes I feel the same, constant colds for me. Beautiful recipe and lovely photo collage. Wishing you the best of health xx
Thank you so sweetly Amy! Wishing health back to you. xo
Just beautiful, Danielle! I am such a sucker for socca (ya, I went there) and I love the addition of cumin to the batter here. What a gorgeous combination of flavors. Hoping the weather has kept you cozy this weekend x
Jodi, thank you! I love your company – it’s just the loveliest. I’m so seriously stoked you like what I’ve done with the socca here. Wishing you a lovely week. ♥
I had socca for the first time this summer when I attended a supper club hsted by Sarah Britton.
I LOVED it! And these pictures transport me back to that evening.
Thanks so much for sharing.
Kimberly thank you so much for the visit, you are so very lovely! Your words mean infinity to me, I love that I could transport you to a great time. ♥ ♥
I’ve never had socca, which is bizarre because it is SO my kind of food! Thanks for inspiring me to give it a go. Huge high-fives for grinding your own flour!! The flavor is so much better. I hope your cold is completely gone by now. <3
kathryn thank you so much! the process is only complimented by being able to grind the chickpeas at home – making for a really delicious outcome. i do hope you are able to try socca soon, i love your kind of food. 😉 ♥
I’m so excited — I do have chickpea flour, and this looks amazing!
Sue, thank you so much for your excitement! I am a huge fan of all you do. Happy weekend! ♥
Interesting recipe, beautiful photographs. I’m going to try this recipe. Do I see walnut crumbles on the top? Or it is something additional I can’t recognise and can’t find in the recipe? Thank you.
Giedre, thank you! And you are most definitely correct, I must have forgotten when I wrote out the recipe. I added 1-2 tbl of crushed walnuts to the top of the socca pizza (I will update the recipe) – – enjoy and have a lovely day! ♥