Socca Frites - Panisse Fries

(Scroll down to see my EDIT: Home Made version of Socca Fries - Panisse)

For all you 'Socca' lovers out there.....here's the next step into 'chick pea' Land........ PANISSE!!  These little beauties are simply that.....little beauties..... !!!!

I personally adore Socca and have done for years....having lived in the area where Socca distributers are abundant...it's hard not to have tried them at least once. For those of you that don't know, I live in between Nice and Monaco and therefore, Socca is available Everywhere!! Socca is basically a mix(similar to pancake mix) of Chick Pea flour, olive oil and water.... that is generally pan fried or baked 'crepe' like and may sound bizarre and bland but in fact are lush.

Whenenver I venture into Nice (especially Vieux Nice) or Monaco, I often come across restos or places that sell Socca and there is ALWAYS a HUGE line up of people happy to wait their turn to purchase such a delight. Now, as I mentioned before, I have often succumed to the wonderment of this 'mid shopping' edible jewel....but never had I been made aware of Panisse..... Until...... my wonderful BF (from Monaco....so he would know the know) brought me some the other week to try. He was sure that I had never seen nor tasted such a thing and that I would love it and he was right.

It amazes me even now, that I have lived in this area for more than 8 years and yet, I have never been introduced to this sublime simple local delicacy until recently!!! OMG...... Socca I adore....but Panisse is 10 times more rewarding...... Mainly because I guess....they ressemble french fries and well..... they just taste divine to boot.

This is what they look like - uncooked - upon purchase - from our local super market much to my delight. 

You can see from the Ingredients...... they consist of ONLY -

Chick pea flour,

Water

and Salt!! Simple and yet.. delicious

They are simply sliced into 'Fries' style pieces and I pan fry mine in coconut oil for a few minutes and season slighty with Himalayan pink salt and hey presto.........................

..... Panisse Fries........ Socca's sister food........... I am in heaven!!!! 

EDIT

Since posting the above Panisse discovery, I wanted to try this lush dish from scratch myself and see if there was much difference from that and the 'bought' Panisse. So....... I got to work and discovered it is SO SO SO easy to make!!

All you need are the above ingredients and some filtered water -

LOULOU'S HOME MADE SOCCA FRIES - PANISSE FRITES

• 1 C chick pea flour
• 1/2 t salt
• 1 T Oilive oil
• 1/2 ltr filtered water

• 

Mix all well together and add to a pan. Make sure you seive the flour first (golden rule.....that I forgot to do in my haste and regreted immediately - shocking behaviour from a qualified Pastry Chef  that I am.....should know better lol).

Stir continuously over a steady heat with a wooden spoon and allow the flour to 'cook' until it becomes sturdy (almost string like) and that it peels away from the base effortlessly.

Place in a bowl and leave to cool for at least an hour.

Then turn out onto a chopping board and ..........

..... Slice up the Panisse like chips (fries) and then pan fry....I cooked mine in coconut oil as usual.

Et voila.................... SOCCA FRIES!!! SO EASY :0)