So, I am kind of obsessed with chickpeas [or garbanzo beans]. Okay, a lot obsessed. I love everything from chickpea tacos to chickpea brownies.
If chickpeas are included then I’m on board - that pretty much sums it up. Rather than end with that sum, I’m going to go a bit more into depth.
So, let’s talk about why chickpeas are so great.
They’re versatile. They’re packed with protein. They’re perfect for vegetarians and omnivores alike.
Not only am I crushing on these little legumes, but I’m also pretty fond of their flour counterpart. I would even go so far as to say that I consider chickpea flour to be a staple in my kitchen.
Why?
Well, it’s relatively inexpensive. One point. Since it’s made from chickpeas, it’s also rich in protein. Another point. And finally, it’s easy to store. That’s three points for the home team.
Really, what more can you ask for?
Most of the time, I use my chickpea flour to make socca. For those who’ve never tried it, socca is a thin, unleavened pancake or crepe [as described by our good friend Wikipedia].
The thing that really leaves me coming back for more is that socca is completely customizable. You can make sweet socca, savory socca, and even pizza crust socca. And that’s just to name a few.
So I know this is a totally drawn out ode to chickpea flour, but bear with me because I have one more reason to go get yourself a bag of chickpea flour and make some socca.
It is a piece of cake to make. For real. Easy peasy. Even the most inexperienced of chefs can give this a whirl.
No fancy equipment or complicated directions required. You simply mix the flour and liquid (water, almond milk, whatever you want) in a 1:1 ratio, spice it up, and then cook it like a pancake. The whole process takes maybe 10 minutes. Done and done.
So you get the point, right? I love chickpea flour like it’s my unborn child. But why I am professing my love now? Well, because now I realize that I can also use it to make this:
That, my friends, is what I’ve dubbed chickpea [flour] pie. Unlike socca, this pie is thick and creamy. Just like socca, this pie is extremely customizable.
You can make it sweet. You can make it spicy. Basically, make it whatever you want. And, again, just like socca – it’s super simple to make.
To be honest, I wasn’t sure how this would turn out. I just assumed that if I could use chickpea flour to make something like pancakes, then I could probably use it to make something like bread (or pie).
The baking gods must have been smiling down on me that day because it turned out pretty great. And let’s be honest, the baking gods don’t smile down on me very often.
For this pie, I spiced it up with lemon and basil. But I’ll break it down into the ingredients for the basic pie and then the ingredients for the spiced up version.
Basic Chickpea Pie (vegan, gluten-free)
- 1 C. chickpea flour [garbanzo bean flour]
- 2 T. coarsely ground flax seeds (or flax meal)
- 1 t. freshly ground sea salt
- 1 t. freshly ground pepper
- 1 t. baking powder
- 1 1/4 C. warm water
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Then whisk all of the ingredients together in a large bowl.
Pour the mixture into a lightly greased pie pan (or round baking dish). Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until the center is firm to the touch.
So there’s your basic recipe. Now for the fun part.
Lemon Basil Chickpea Pie [with quinoa]
- all ingredients for the basic chickpea pie
- 1 C. cooked quinoa
- 2 T. nutritional yeast
- 1/3 C. chopped orange pepper
- a few handfuls chopped spinach
- 3 leaves basil (finely chopped)
- 1 t. Italian seasoning
- 2 T. fresh lemon juice
Follow the same directions listed above for all ingredients.
This is pretty delicious with a thin layer of butter, laughing cow cheese, or (you guessed it) more chickpeas in the form of hummus!
Oh and this is completely vegan! Not intentionally, but that’s always a plus.
This definitely makes me want to experiment some more in the kitchen. I’m thinking that a sweet chickpea pie is up next.
Sounds like an oxymoron (sweet + chickpeas = meh), but I think it could work.
Anyone sick of chickpea flour yet? Or the word socca? I may be sick of the word, but I’m definitely not sick of the food.
Make it a great one!
<3 Stefanie
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