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 comprised of the identical components, however in very other ways.
Panisse, cade, and socca are discovered from Marseille to the Italian border, they usually 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 most likely only a legend.
The important thing ingredient is chickpea flour, which is frequent within the space as a result of it thrives in dry climates and poor soil. Common among the many poor as a result of it was low cost, right this moment chickpea flour has gained new recognition as a result of it’s not solely scrumptious and nutritious, but additionally gluten-free.
Let’s take a look at the three French descendants of farinata.
Panisse
Panisse makes its residence in Marseille, the place it’s virtually an establishment. The dish is so common there that creator Marcel Pagnol gave the title Panisse to one of many predominant characters in his well-known Marseille trilogy.
Panisse, like the opposite dishes, is made with simply three components: chickpea flour, olive oil, and water. Some individuals add salt at this level, others add it later.
The components are combined after which cooked at a low warmth to till they’ve the consistency of polenta. That is fashioned into shapes, normally 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 may 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 components as panisse however with much less water. This creates a batter that’s poured into large 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 prime.
The pan is put right into a very popular pizza oven till the highest turns into golden brown and crispy, whereas the underside stays comfortable. 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 buying.
Socca
Now we come to Good, socca’s champion. Socca is just like cade however is made with extra water. This makes for a thinner batter, which is poured into large spherical pans to a depth of solely 2mm. As soon as within the sizzling oven, it cooks shortly and comes out good and crispy. Sliced into items, it’s best eaten immediately. Socca may be very common in Good, and also you’ll usually discover strains outdoors native specialists like Chez Térésa.
From Poor to Stylish
Whereas panisse, cade, and socca all started as meals for the poor, right this moment they’ve turn out to be moderately stylish, and everybody appears to take pleasure in 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 creator of An Insider’s Information to Provence, One Sip at a Time, and Are We French But? Learn extra at Life in Provence
