Okay so technically speaking this is a recipe for Socca bread. If you didn't know, Socca is a flatbread typically sold in the streets of Nice, France. It's pretty good on its own or even subbed as cornbread for chili/soups. My favorite way to use it is as a pizza crust.
Socca bread is super easy to make. The only special thing you need is a cast iron skillet. Oh, and the flour itself is really important too. Socca bread is made from chickpea (aka garbanzo bean) flour. (I typically buy Bob's Red Mill brand which can be found in Kroger, Big Lots, or online)
For Socca bread crust:
Equal parts Chickpea flour and water
(1 cup if using a 12 inch cast iron skillet,
3/4 cup if using a 10 inch skillet)
1 TB extra virgin olive oil (plus 2 more TB)
1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp oregano
Pizza toppings:
1/4 cup to 1/2 cup marinara sauce
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
However many pepperoni your heart desires!
(you can play around with whatever toppings you like...just keep in mind that this crust is thinner/less sturdy than a traditional pizza crust)
Method:
Prepare the socca bread by mixing flour, water and 1 TB oil together well. Stir in your seasonings, then let the mixture sit to thicken for at least an hour.
When your mixture is ready, preheat your oven to about 425 degrees fahrenheit and place the cast iron skillet in the oven to warm up. Stir the socca mixture once more to ensure the flour has absorbed the liquids.
Take out the skillet and pour on 1 TB of olive oil in it to coat all sides of the skillet. Pour socca mixture into the skillet and bake for about 10 minutes.
Check it after 10 minutes to ensure the edges are set, then turn the oven up to broil. Spread another TB of olive oil over the surface of the bread then broil it for 5 or so minutes. This will give the top the characteristic cracked and crispy surface.
Now, in the past at this point I would put a thin layer of marinara sauce on the socca bread then add the cheese and pepperoni on top. Then I'd put foil around the edges and broil it for another 5 minutes or so until the cheese is bubbly. And that's pretty good. The only thing is, socca can be a little dry if you cook it too long.
So what I've done recently is add the cheese and pepperoni, place foil around the edges of the socca and broil it til the cheese is bubbly. Then I cut my pizza into about 8 sections to make breadsticks and dunk those into marinara sauce. I like this way much better as it's just always more fun to dip things isn't it?
Anywho, that's a super easy flatbread recipe that can easily be turned into a pizza crust. Mind you, since it's made from chickpea flour it will not taste like a regular pizza crust. It has more of a sophisticated/artisan-esque taste lol. But I love it as it's much easier to make than a cauliflower crust. Plus my 3 year old loves it so it's a win-win 😉.
If you do try the recipe, let me know in the comments below!