One of many glories of France is its delicacies, and every area has its personal scrumptious specialties. Alongside the nation’s Mediterranean coast, you’ll discover three culinary cousins to tantalize your tastebuds. They’re constructed from the identical elements, however in very alternative ways.
Panisse, cade, and socca are discovered from Marseille to the Italian border, and so they share a typical ancestor: Italy’s farinata. Centuries in the past, Italian staff from Liguria introduced this poor man’s dish with them as they labored in France. Some say that they first got here to Toulouse at Napoleon’s request, to restore French navel vessels, however that’s in all probability only a legend.
The important thing ingredient is chickpea flour, which is widespread within the space as a result of it thrives in dry climates and poor soil. Well-liked among the many poor as a result of it was low cost, at this time chickpea flour has gained new recognition as a result of it isn’t solely scrumptious and nutritious, but additionally gluten-free.
Let’s take a look at the three French descendants of farinata.
Panisse
Panisse makes its house in Marseille, the place it’s virtually an establishment. The dish is so well-liked there that writer Marcel Pagnol gave the title Panisse to one of many fundamental characters in his well-known Marseille trilogy.
Panisse, like the opposite dishes, is made with simply three elements: chickpea flour, olive oil, and water. Some individuals add salt at this level, others add it later.
The elements are combined after which cooked at a low warmth to till they’ve the consistency of polenta. That is shaped into shapes, often into squares about 1.5cm thick, and cooled. As soon as these have solidified, they’re reduce into strips, like lengthy sq. fingers, then cooked in oil and sprinkled with salt. Panisse could be eaten as a snack or as a aspect dish, and there’s no higher accompaniment than a glass of chilled rosé wine.
Cade
Shifting eastward to Toulon, we discover cade, which makes use of the identical elements as panisse however with much less water. This creates a batter that’s poured into massive spherical dishes, like pizza pans, till it’s about 1.5cm thick. Some individuals like so as to add herbs like rosemary to the combo, or add skinny slices of onion on high.
The pan is put right into a highly regarded pizza oven till the highest turns into golden brown and crispy, whereas the underside stays smooth. That is then sprinkled with salt and pepper and reduce into squares. You’ll usually discover distributors promoting cade within the area’s open air markets, and see individuals munching away as they do their purchasing.
Socca
Now we come to Good, socca’s champion. Socca is much like cade however is made with extra water. This makes for a thinner batter, which is poured into massive spherical pans to a depth of solely 2mm. As soon as within the sizzling oven, it cooks rapidly and comes out good and crispy. Sliced into items, it’s best eaten instantly. Socca could be very well-liked in Good, and also you’ll usually discover traces exterior native specialists like Chez Térésa.
From Poor to Stylish
Whereas panisse, cade, and socca all started as meals for the poor, at this time they’ve grow to be reasonably stylish, and everybody appears to get pleasure from them. You’ll see individuals sitting in beachfront cafés, munching on panisse or cade, sipping wine and watching the solar go down. It’s fairly a change from their humble beginnings!
Keith Van Sickle splits his time between Provence and California. He’s the writer of An Insider’s Information to Provence, One Sip at a Time, and Are We French But? Learn extra at Life in Provence
