When you think of French cuisine, of course, it's natural to imagine the finest escargot, crème brulée, foie gras, croque monsieur, etc... but France is a very big country, with a wide variety of incredible regional foods, one of them being socca.
Socca often flies under the radar, but is certainly a staple in the south of France and along the Mediterranean Coast heading into Italy, but it particularly stands out in Nice. It's common to find the dish sold on the street as street food by local vendors, yet the dish can be elevated and found in some fancier restaurants as well.
Socca is known for its extreme simplicity. The dish contains no more than three ingredients: chickpea flour, water, and, of course, olive oil. The concoction is mixed together and poured over a large, piping-hot copper pan, where it is set to cook, much like a crepe. After a while, it hardens and is ready to be served. It may sometimes even be served with an extra drizzle of olive oil for good taste, which, well, is never a bad thing, let's just say that.
This dish is rather unique, seeing as it wasn't even first created as something to be eaten. According to some of my research, the batter was originally created back in the 1540s to pour on the heads of the invading Turkish armies in an attempt to ward off Turkish advances once the Niçois ran out of ammunition. Someone discovered that this mixture actually tasted quite delicious, and it quickly expanded to become what it is now.
Today, there are many varieties of socca, and it's not only found in France. People may be familiar with terms like "farinata," "cecina," or "torta di ceci" in Italian, as the dish can also be found along the Italian coastline in places like Genova, Pisa an Livorno. Undoubtedly, it is indeed from Nice, and if you wander around the lovely streets of Nice you will be bound to stumble upon several opportunities to try it out. There are even some specialty restaurants offering you the opportunity to add extra ingredients to your socca, such as peppers or onions, among others.
I have personally been to Nice three times, and had the pleasure of sampling this dish on a couple of occasions. Before arriving in Nice for the first time, I had done some research about typical food in the area and socca topped every list. As I wandered through the city's streets, however, I was amazed at how many vendors were selling socca at street corners. One fine day, I was hungry for a light snack, and decided to go for it. Big mistake! Never assume that socca will just be a light snack; it is actually quite filling. It was indeed delicious, however. The best parts about it, in my opinion, were the extra drizzle of olive oil and the hardened, crunchier edges.
If ever you're in Nice or along the Italian coast, give it a taste, it's cheap, simple and delicious!
-Daniele
