Socca With Poached Eggs, Roasted Tomatoes, And Fresh Basil

Socca, also known as farinata, is a thin chickpea flour pancake commonly found in both Italian and French cuisines. In this recipe, Katie Cavuto tops wedges of the warm chickpea crepe with roasted tomatoes, poached eggs, and fresh basil. For an easy, make-ahead brunch or weekday breakfast, make the batter and poach the eggs the night before. To store the poached eggs overnight, plunge them into an airtight container filled with cold water and place them in the fridge.
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- Prep time
- 1 hr
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- Cook time
- 10 min
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- Servings
- 8 Servings
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- Serving size
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1 slice of socca, 1 poached egg, 2 tablespoons roasted tomatoes, and 2 tablespoons basil
Ingredients
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chickpea flour
- 1 cup
- 1 cup
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cumin
- 1/2 tsp
- 1/2 tsp
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fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp
- 1/4 tsp
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warm water
- 1 cup
- 1 cup
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Extra Virgin Olive Oil (divided)
- 2 tbsp
- 2 tbsp
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white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp
- 1 tbsp
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large eggs
- 8
- 8
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fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1 cup
- 1 cup
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fresh basil (chopped)
- 1 cup
- 1 cup
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freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp
- 1/4 tsp
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Directions
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Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet about 12 inches from your oven’s heating element and set the oven to “Broil.”
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In a small bowl, whisk together chickpea flour, cumin, and salt. Slowly stream in water, whisking quickly to eliminate lumps, then stir in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Cover the bowl and set aside for at least 15 minutes. (Or store it in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours.) The batter should be a thin, pancake batter–like consistency.
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After the batter has rested, carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet and pour in the socca batter. Broil for 8–10 minutes, or until the edges of the socca are browned and the center is set.
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Meanwhile, set a metal strainer in the bottom of a large pot, fill the pot 2/3 full with water, and add the vinegar. Crack each egg into a small prep bowl. Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring the vinegar and water to a simmer. Using a long-handled spoon, stir the water in a wide, circular motion to create a whirlpool. Quickly, while the whirlpool is still going, slide in the eggs, one by one. Once all the eggs are in the water, poach them without stirring until the whites are set and the yolks are no longer runny, about 4–6 minutes. Using tongs, carefully lift the strainer out of the water with the eggs.
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Remove socca from the oven and cut it into 8 wedges. To serve, place a socca wedge on each of 8 plates and top each serving with 1 poached egg, 2 tablespoons roasted tomatoes, and 2 tablespoons chopped basil. Season servings with pepper.