I’ve always loved crepes, those elegant, paper-thin French pancakes. They’re great containers for any filling and — as long as you have the proper pan — they’re really a cinch to make. But let’s face it, the typical flour-based crepe is pretty bland. It’s a messenger, not a message. We care far less about the crepe itself than we do about what’s wrapped up in it.
But what if the crepe boasted some flavor and nutrition? Enter chickpea flour. Popular throughout the Middle East and Asia, as well as along the Mediterranean, it’s a good source of protein and fiber and happens to be quite tasty, almost nutty. Today’s recipe is a variation on a swell little chickpea pancake that’s known as socca in southern France and farinata in northern Italy.
Made with chickpea flour, water, olive oil and seasonings, socca is pretty elemental. As noted, it’s delicious, but texture-wise, it’s sturdy, not pliable. I wanted to make a chickpea pancake that was thin enough to fold like a crepe. So I added some eggs and a tiny amount of flour.
There’s a way to make gluten-free chickpea crepes, but you’ll have to swap out the regular flour for cornstarch (just be sure it’s gluten-free cornstarch) or gluten-free flour. If you roll with the gluten-free flour, you’ll need to add an additional tablespoon or two of water to thin out the batter.
What about the filling? Anything you might want to put into a crepe or tortilla, you can put into a chickpea crepe. Here I’ve taken an Indian vegetarian route: Indian spices, potatoes and peas. But if you happen to be short of time, feel free to combine any leftovers you have in the refrigerator, roll them up in the crepes and heat them in a 300 F oven for about 10 minutes. Instant dinner! (But without the empty carbs.)
CHICKPEA CREPES STUFFED WITH INDIAN SPICED POTATOES AND PEAS
Start to finish: 1 hour, 10 minutes (45 active)
Servings: 4
For the crepes:
1/2 chickpea flour (60 grams) (available at many supermarkets and online)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus extra for brushing the pan
For the filling:
1/2 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups chopped (1/4 to 1/2-inch pieces) cauliflower
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Kosher salt
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 teaspoons minced chile (with the seeds and veins)
2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 cup thawed frozen peas
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, plus extra for garnish
Nutrition information per serving: 298 calories; 132 calories from fat; 15 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 108 mg cholesterol; 320 mg sodium; 32 g carbohydrate; 6 g fiber; 6 g sugar; 11 g protein.
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