When you want Socca, and don’t have a wood fired oven to hand, well, a cast iron pan and a lively stove flame will do just as well. The nutty, smoky flavour of this tender yet crisp, (gluten free!) olive oil and chickpea galette is a perfect background for some culinary reminders of sunny Provencal days. Heaven knows, this week through the showers and wind, we need them.

Stovetop Socca with wet and wild garlic, blackened tomatoes and thyme flowers

For 4 (2 large galettes)
3 minutes preparation
5 minutes resting
25 minutes cooking

For the Socca
250g chickpea flour
3 tablespoons olive oil
500ml cold water
1 teaspoon fine salt

Garnish
Wild garlic flowers, if they‘re still around!
300g cherry tomatoes
Fresh rosemary and thyme
Wet garlic bulb if you can find it, about 1 tablespoon, chopped. Use 2 cloves of usual dried garlic if not.
Olive oil for frying
A handful of rocket for garnishing
Salt and pepper

Pour the water and oil into a large bowl. Pour the flour into the bowl, whisking as you go. Whisk well to break up any lumps in the batter. Leave to stand for 5 minutes, giving it a whisk from time to time.

Heat some oil in a cast iron or other heavy based pan for the Socca, and a non stick one for the tomatoes. When they are both very hot, pour half the Socca batter into the cast iron pan and tip the tomatoes into the other one.

Cook the tomatoes on high heat, letting them blister and blacken and steam slightly in their own juices. You could mix some rosemary and thyme through them as they cook.

Lower the heat under the Socca and let it cook until bubbles start forming on the surface. About 7 – 10 minutes. Have a peek underneath as you would for a normal crepe, and if the surface looks nice and golden and crisp, flip the galette to let the other side cook a little.

Toss the rocket with some olive oil, the garlics and herbs. Serve the Socca from the pan with the tomatoes and their cooking juices, garnished with the herby, garlicky rocket. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately. It’s good hot or warm.