Chickpea Flatbread for a Lazy Saturday Morning

Let's face an uncomfortable truth: chickpea omelets aren't all they're cracked up to be.

Nope. Not even close. They take a ton of oil to keep from sticking to the skillet—even the fancy nonstick one I bought—and plenty of add-ins and seasoning to taste good. Then they sit in my stomach like a plate of hummus topped with fava beans and two pitas. So, no, I'm not a fan. But I do love what chickpea omelets bring to the table nutritionally.

If you're stuck with a bag of chickpea flour and no idea what to do with it, I've got a delicious solution.

Oven-baked chickpea flatbread.

In Mediterranean countries such as Greece and Turkey, you'll find a flatbread made from chickpea flour and baked in a very hot oven.

It's called socca, and it's mainly eaten in the morning.

I don't think that's a coincidence. Chickpea flour is very high in fiber, which helps keep you feeling full and fueled throughout the day. They know a thing or two over there in Greece.

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How do you serve it?

Pair a serving with a protein-rich spread, such as soy cheese or a lentil spread, and a salad. You've got a satisfying breakfast—or dinner, if that's more your speed.

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Nutrition information provided by Noam Bachar (an Israeli fitness trainer and nutritionist):

One serving of flatbread contains:

250 calories, 23 g carbohydrates, 11 g protein, 13 g fat, 8 mg iron, 16 g fiber

Chickpea Flatbread

3 servings

What you'll need

1. 150 g (5.3 oz; about 1 cup) chickpea flour
2. 1 cup water
3. Coarse salt
4. 3 tablespoons olive oil
5. A little fresh rosemary
6. 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
7. A 15 × 20 cm (6 × 8-inch) baking pan or a 20 cm (8-inch) oven-safe skillet

Here's how to make it

Preheat the oven to 180–200°C (350–400°F).

Pour the oil into the baking pan and place it in the oven for about 10 minutes, until both the pan and the oil are good and hot.

In a bowl, mix the chickpea flour with the salt, then add the cup of water.

Mix well until no lumps remain.

A little heads-up ♥ The batter should be pourable, like pancake batter.

Once the pan and oil are hot, pour about half the batter into the pan and bake for about 10 minutes.

Then pour the remaining half of the batter into the pan, sprinkle with a little fresh rosemary and coarse salt, and bake for about 15 minutes more.

It's ready when the edges start to brown and pull away easily from the sides of the pan.

The flatbread comes out crisp and wonderfully fragrant. Serve it right away, while it's hot and fresh. This part is nonnegotiable.

• Socca's one drawback: it doesn't taste good cold, so this isn't a recipe to batch-cook and save for later.

Still have chickpea flour left? Make veggie patties!