Gluten Free Chickpea Flatbread

Chickpea flatbread goes by many names, depending on what country you're in. If you're in the South of France, sipping Rose along the water in Nice, save me a seat, and on your walk home, you're sure to find street vendors selling "socca," an almost chickpea crepe. A little further east, in Liguria or Genoa, Italy, you're chickpea pancake is called "farinata" or "cecina." In the US, it's probably more often referred to as gluten free, grain free and vegan. 

Whatever you want to call it, you're working with just a few ingredients. Chickpea flour is the first one. You can find this at Whole Foods or Middle Eastern grocery stores. I make my own just by grinding up some dry chickpeas.

To the flour, salt, pepper and olive oil is added and cooked in a hot pan in the oven, or wood fire oven, if you happen to have one of those handy.

You can spice as you please from there. I like adding rosemary to the batter and topping it with tomatoes and goat cheese for a light and easy healthy pizza, another name to add to the heap. Feel free to include your favorite herb, roasted vegetables or just a little more olive oil on top to go with a salad for lunch.

Gluten Free Chickpea Flatbread

Makes 2 - 9" flatbreads

Ingredients

• 1 cup chickpea flour
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
• 1 tablespoon green onion, chopped
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup room temperature water
• 1/4 cup tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tablespoons goat cheese (vegans can omit)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450F with 2 - 9" pie pans inside.
2. Whisk flour with rosemary, green onion, 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper. Add water while whisking and then allow to stand for at least 30 minutes, up to a few hours.
3. When the oven has reached 450, take the pans out and coat with the remaining olive oil, swirling so all sides are covered. Divide the batter between the pans and place them back in the oven. Bake for approximately 12 minutes, just as it begins to set and then remove pans.
4. Place chopped tomatoes and goat cheese on top. Turn the oven to broil and broil for 3-5 minutes until the top is browned and heated. Cut and enjoy hot out of the oven.