For the socca:
2 cups chickpea flour
2 cups water
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the pan
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon salt
For the pesto:
1/2 cup pesto (see recipe below, or use your own favorite pesto)
For the salad:
3 cups tender salad greens (mâche, baby spinach, spring lettuces, etc.)
4 ounces asparagus, roasted and cut into bite-size pieces
1/4 cup fresh peas, blanched (or frozen peas, thawed)
6 kalamata olives, pitted and halved or quartered
1/2 shallot, thinly sliced
Lemon curls for garnish
Extra virgin olive oil, to taste
Lemon juice, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste
Whisk together the chickpea flour, water, olive oil, garlic, thyme, and salt. Let stand for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
Set an oven rack six inches below your oven's broiler and turn on the broiler. Preheat a 10-inch cast iron skillet or equivalent baking dish for five minutes. Remove the skillet from the oven and add a teaspoon of oil to coat the bottom. Give the chickpea batter a whisk and pour half of it into the skillet.
Broil for 5-10 minutes until the top is browned and the socca is cooked in the middle (yet still tender) and crispy around the edges. Use a spatula to remove it from the pan.
Repeat to make the second flatbread.
→ For more detailed socca instructions, including oven and stovetop methods, see How to Make Socca.
Spread half of the pesto on each flatbread, leaving a border around the edges.
Top with the salad greens, asparagus, peas, olives, shallots, and lemon curls. Drizzle a little olive oil and lemon juice on top and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Cut into wedges and serve immediately.
Spring Pesto (Vegan and Nut-Free)
6 cups gently packed spring greens (arugula, spinach, watercress, parsley, etc.)
1/2 cup gently packed mint leaves
1/2 cup hemp seeds (can substitute other nuts or seeds)
2 tablespoons chopped preserved lemon peel (rinse and remove pulp before chopping; see Recipe Notes for sources)
1 garlic clove
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt, to taste
Place the greens, mint, seeds/nuts, preserved lemon, and garlic in a blender or food processor. Blend until finely chopped, scraping down the sides of the