Chickpea Flour Socca Breakfast Pancake Bake

Name: Chickpea Flour Socca Breakfast Pancake Bake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 1 cup (120 g) chickpea flour (garbanzo flour); 4 large eggs, at room temperature; ¾ cup (180 ml) whole milk; ⅓ cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided (3 tablespoons for onions, remaining for skillet); 1 (200 g) yellow onion, medium, thinly sliced; 3 sprigs (5 g) fresh rosemary sprigs, leaves picked, roughly chopped; 1 teaspoon (6 g) kosher salt; ½ teaspoon (2½ ml) freshly ground black pepper

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A savory-edged, custardy baked pancake made from chickpea flour, inspired by the French socca tradition. Eggs and milk create a custard-like crumb studded with caramelized onions and fresh rosemary, finished in a hot skillet to achieve a golden, slightly crispy exterior while staying tender within. Naturally gluten-free and protein-rich, it's a nutritious alternative to grain-based breakfast bakes.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 25 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 45 min
Makes: One 10-inch skillet pancake (4 generous slices)

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Steps

Before you start

Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C)
Have all ingredients measured and ready before you start cooking the onions
Use a 10-inch (25 cm) cast iron or oven-safe nonstick skillet

1
Caramelize the onions
- Heat 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of olive oil in the 10-inch skillet over medium heat.
- Add the sliced onion and a pinch of salt.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10–12 minutes until the onion is deeply golden brown and very soft, with caramelized edges.
- The onion should smell sweet and nutty.
- Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
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Ready when: Onion is deeply golden brown with caramelized edges and smells sweet and nutty
Tip: Stir often to prevent burning. Lower heat slightly if the onion colors too fast—you want slow, even caramelization, not scorching.
2
Mix wet ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the 4 eggs, milk, and rosemary until fully combined and the herb pieces are evenly distributed.
- The mixture should be smooth with no visible egg white streaks.
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Ready when: Mixture is smooth and uniform, with rosemary distributed throughout
Tip: Use room-temperature eggs for smoother blending. Whisk by hand for 1–2 minutes to ensure no lumps remain.
3
Whisk in chickpea flour
- Add the chickpea flour, kosher salt, and black pepper to the egg mixture.
- Whisk vigorously until completely smooth, about 1 minute.
- There should be no lumps or streaks of dry flour.
- The batter will be thin, like pancake batter.
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Ready when: Batter is completely smooth, lump-free, and thin like pancake batter
Tip: Chickpea flour can clump easily; whisk thoroughly to avoid pockets of dense flour in the finished pancake.
4
Prepare skillet and preheat ovenOven 425°F / 220°C
- Return the skillet (empty) to medium heat.
- While it heats, pour the remaining olive oil (about 4–5 tablespoons / 60–75 ml) into the skillet and tilt to coat evenly.
- Once the oil shimmers and just begins to smoke lightly (about 1–2 minutes), remove from heat.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) if not already done.
- Distribute the caramelized onions evenly across the bottom of the oiled skillet.
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Ready when: Oil shimmers and just begins to smoke; onions are spread evenly in the skillet
Tip: Hot oil creates a crispy bottom crust. Don't skip this step, but don't let the oil smoke heavily or it will burn.
5
Pour batter and transfer to ovenOven 425°F / 220°C
- Carefully pour the chickpea batter over the onions in the hot skillet, stirring gently to distribute onion pieces evenly.
- The batter will sizzle immediately.
- Place the skillet directly into the preheated 425°F (220°C) oven on the middle rack.
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Ready when: Pancake is puffed around the edges, golden brown on top, and just set in the center with a slight jiggle
Tip: Don't open the oven door for the first 15 minutes or the pancake may collapse. The center will continue to cook as it cools.
6
Cool and serve
- Remove the skillet from the oven and let the pancake rest in the skillet for 5 minutes.
- It will deflate slightly and firm up.
- Slice into 4 wedges and serve warm directly from the skillet, or slide onto a cutting board and slice.
- The pancake will be creamy-custard in the center and slightly crispy and golden at the edges.
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Ready when: Pancake is firm enough to slice cleanly, creamy at center, crispy at edges
Tip: If serving immediately, the center will still be slightly custardy—this is intentional and delicious. Reheat leftover wedges in a skillet over medium heat.

Good to know

Tips

This pancake deflates slightly after baking—this is completely normal and not a sign of failure. The custard-like center will set as it cools.
Chickpea flour can be bitter if overcooked. Oven temperatures vary; start checking at 20 minutes. The top should be golden and the center just barely set, not fully firm.
For extra richness and a fancier presentation, top with crumbled feta cheese, fresh herbs, or a dollop of Greek yogurt before serving.
Leftover wedges are excellent cold or room temperature, perfect for a grab-and-go breakfast the next day.

Storage & reheating

Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat a wedge in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes per side until warmed through, or microwave for 30–45 seconds. Not recommended for freezing, as the texture becomes grainy when thawed.

Substitutions

fresh rosemary sprigs → fresh thyme or oregano. Use the same quantity. Both herbs complement chickpea flour and caramelized onions beautifully.
whole milk → unsweetened almond milk or oat milk. Use the same quantity. The pancake will be slightly less custardy but still tender.
yellow onion, medium → leek (white and light green parts). Thinly slice about 2 medium leeks (350 g total) and caramelize similarly. Leeks are sweeter and more delicate than onions.
extra-virgin olive oil → unsalted butter or ghee. Use the same quantity. Butter will brown the pancake more deeply and add a richer flavor. Avoid extra-virgin for high heat; use clarified or refined.