• Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • Recipe Index
  • About
    • About Me
    • Work with Me
    • Portfolio
    • FAQ
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Snixy Kitchen logo

menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Portfolio
  • Contact
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home / Meal Type / Savory / Roasted Fennel & Garlic Socca Flatbread with Olives and Mint Parsley Oil

    Roasted Fennel & Garlic Socca Flatbread with Olives and Mint Parsley Oil

    June 11, 2017 by Sarah Menanix · Modified: Apr 8, 2019

    Jump to Recipe
    • Share
    • Tweet

    This naturally gluten-free chickpea socca flatbread is topped with melty mozzarella, roasted garlic and fennel, and buttery olives, then drizzled with a fresh mint parsley oil.

    Roasted Fennel & Garlic Socca Flatbread with Olives and Mint Parsley Oil

    This post is sponsored by California Olive Committee. Although I was compensated to write this post, all opinions are my own.

    We’re in the thick of a toddler hunger strike right now. It’s not that she’s picky and doesn’t like foods. She won’t even try most foods – “nah,” she says as she drops it on the floor. Tips for not raising a picky eater are welcome. Her current list of approved foods includes: cheese (the clear favorite), blueberries, dried figs, pine nuts, smoked salmon, and olives.

    Maybe I’m ripping my hair out to get her to eat most days, but I’m also counting my blessings that she didn’t inherit my dad’s aversion to olives. This is huge. It was a major point of contention whenever I’d choose olives as my only pizza topping growing up. If this socca flatbread with olives and mint parsley had been on the menu, I’d get to eat it all.

    Real talk: how can anyone not want to be on team olives when they make such great fingertip jewelry?

    Roasted Fennel & Garlic Socca Flatbread with Olives and Mint Parsley Oil

    So when the California Olive Committee invited me to the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in St. Helena last month to learn more about olives from some of the canners and growers, I obviously didn’t hesitate.

    Before unleashing us on the kitchen, Elise from Simply Recipes and Chef Paul Irving of the CIA demoed different olive preparations that altered the flavor they add to dishes. Smoked olives. Candied olives. Dehydrated olives. <-- I’d like those dehydrated olives bagged and delivered to my doorstep for weekly snacking, please.

    With free reign of the CIA kitchen pantry (and someone else doing our dishes!!), I teamed up with Lisa from Healthy Nibbles and Bits, Carrian from Oh Sweet Basil, and Julia from The Roasted Root for some olive-centric seasonal cooking. On the left: Roasted asparagus with kumquat olive salsa. On the right: Brown butter shallot pasta with roasted carrots, fresh peas, bacon breadcrumbs, and dehydrated olives.

    California Ripe Olives - Culinary Institute of America

    Roasted Asparagus with Kumquat Olive Salsa

    Brown butter shallot pasta with roasted carrots, fresh peas, bacon breadcrumbs, and dehydrated olives.

    While cooking with (and eating) olives is definitely a bonus, the real highlight was getting to fill in the gaps of some of my childhood adventures. I have a vivid, but episodic memory of visiting a historic home in Oroville, CA to learn about the history of olives as a kid. I now know this as Freda Ehmann’s home – the birthplace of the modern canned olive and the beginnings of California Ripe Olives. Freda lived in Oakland when she became a widow in the late 1800s, with only an olive orchard in the inland valley to her name. With the help of an agriculture professor at UC Berkeley, Freda came up with the recipe for canned ripe olives that we know of today and grew it into a flourishing industry.

    With a woman at the start of it all, California now produces more than 95% of olives in the US, most of which are grown on multigenerational family farms in the inland valley. Nestled in the middle of all these farms, my great grandpa had one row of olive trees that he’d cure in his garage. One row that solidified my love of olives.

    And olives on pizza.

    Socca Batter

    Roasted Fennel

    Roasted Fennel & Garlic Socca Flatbread with Olives and Mint Parsley Oil

    Roasted Fennel & Garlic Socca Flatbread with Olives and Mint Parsley Oil

    This socca flatbread is basically a fancy pizza. The base is a French chickpea flour crepe or pancake made up of chickpea flour, water, olive oil, and any seasoning or mixed ins. While traditionally baked in a wood-fire oven, here I’ve baked it under the broiler in a HOT cast iron skillet so it’s thick and pillowy enough to hold toppings, with extra crispy edges. I’ve piled it with layers of parmesan, fresh mozzarella, California ripe green olives, and roasted garlic and fennel.

    Roasted Fennel & Garlic Socca Flatbread with Olives and Mint Parsley Oil

    Roasted Fennel & Garlic Socca Flatbread with Olives and Mint Parsley Oil

    Roasted Fennel & Garlic Socca Flatbread with Olives and Mint Parsley Oil

    The star of the socca flatbread - the California ripe green olives – adds mild buttery umami notes that infuse flavor when chopped into the crust and round out the sweet caramelized flavor of the roasted garlic and fennel on top. Drizzled with a mint parsley oil to punch up the freshness, I’d order this on any menu (and I’d invite my dad so I could eat the whole thing myself!).

    Roasted Fennel & Garlic Socca Flatbread with Olives and Mint Parsley Oil

    Follow the California Olive Committee on Facebook to learn about the farmers and get more recipe inspiration! Thanks once again for supporting the brands that keep Snixy Kitchen cooking!

    Continue to Content
    Roasted Fennel & Garlic Socca Flatbread with Olives and Mint Parsley Oil

    Roasted Fennel & Garlic Socca Flatbread with Olives and Mint Parsley Oil

    Yield: 2 main servings or 4 side servings

    Ingredients

    Socca Flatbread:

    • 1 cup chickpea flour
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon pepper
    • 1½ tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 cup water
    • ¼ cup chopped California ripe green olives
    • 1 large clove garlic, grated with microplane

    Toppings:

    • 1 medium fennel bulb, halved
    • 5 cloves garlic, skin still on
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper
    • 1.5 ounces freshly grated parmesan cheese
    • 3 ounces fresh or dry mozzarella, sliced into rounds and cut into thirds
    • ¼ cup California ripe green olives, halved
    • Optional: 1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts

    Mint Parsley Oil:

    • ¼ cup packed parsley leaves
    • ¼ cup packed mint leaves
    • ¼ cup olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
    • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ⅛ teaspoon pepper

    Instructions

    1. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the chickpea flour, salt, and pepper. Slowly pour in the water, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Whisk in olive oil, and fold in the green olives. Let sit for 30 minutes to an hour to thicken up a bit.
    3. Meanwhile roast fennel and garlic. Spread the fennel slices and garlic on a parchment-lined baking sheet and drizzle/brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Roast for 20-30 minutes, flipping the fennel halfway through, until it softens and begins to turn golden brown on the edges. Remove from heat. Peel and mince the garlic.
    4. Meanwhile, make mint parsley oil. Add all of the ingredients to a blender or food processor and pulse until smooth. Transfer to a jar and set aside.
    5. When the socca is finished resting, turn oven to broil (or 500°F if your broiler is a separate drawer) with a rack bout 10-12 inches from the heat.
    6. Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet in the oven to preheat for 10 minutes.
    7. Coat bottom the skillet in 1 teaspoon olive oil.
    8. Pour socca batter into the skillet and bake for 5-8 minutes, until it begins to turn golden brown in some places. Remove from heat.
    9. Reduce heat to 425°F.
    10. Top socca with parmesan and mozzarella cheese, roasted fennel, minced roasted garlic, chopped garlic, and olives, and bake for 10 more minutes, until the cheese melts.
    11. Serve socca warm, with mint parsley oil drizzled over top and, if using, toasted pine nuts.
    © Sarah Menanix

    Thanks for reading Snixy Kitchen! To stay up on what’s coming out of my kitchen,  follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Bloglovin’, or Pinterest, or subscribe via e-mail to get new recipes right to your inbox.

    • Share
    • Tweet
    instagramIf you make this recipe, tag your photo #SnixyKitchen on Instagram!
    Snixy Kitchen

    SUBSCRIBE NOW

    get free recipes straight to your inbox:

    Previous Post: « Crispy Barbecue Beans
    Next Post: Sunflower Seed Gouda Pesto »

    Reader Interactions

    You may also enjoy:

    Gluten-Free Pizza Recipe
    Gluten-Free Pizza Dough
    Zucchini Pesto Pasta
    Zucchini Pesto Pasta with Roasted Almonds
    How to build a dinner-worthy charcuterie board
    How to Build a Dinner-Worthy Charcuterie Board
    Basil Artichoke Tapenade
    Basil Artichoke Tapenade with Pine Nuts

    11 Comments

    1. Nancy Stern -

      June 12, 2017 at 7:06 am

      This sounds and looks super delicious!!!

      Reply
    2. Lisa -

      June 12, 2017 at 9:27 am

      IT WAS SO FUN COOKING WITH YOU!!!!!! I love the look of this socca and all the olive-y and fennel flavors you've got going there! Oh my gosh, can't believe Zoella likes smoked salmon. I don't think I fully appreciated it until I was in my 20s!

      Reply
    3. Karen @ The Food Charlatan -

      June 12, 2017 at 2:29 pm

      yummmmm who doesn't like olives? Oh wait, me, until like last year. How lame of old me. This flatbread looks amazing! That cheeeese!

      Reply
    4. Kimberley -

      June 14, 2017 at 12:18 pm

      OMG y es girl. I LOVE socca! I love this even more!

      Reply
    5. James | Thyme to Mango -

      June 14, 2017 at 8:37 pm

      A toddler that eats smoked salmon and olives?! That's more awesome than can be put into words.

      I am an olive fanatic but there was a time I hated them. But now, along with all those other delicious ingredients, I just want to have one of these flatbreads right now, they look sooooo good!

      Reply
    6. Elise Bauer -

      June 15, 2017 at 7:04 am

      Hi Sarah, this garlic olive flatbread sounds amazing! So cool that you got to visit Freda Ehmann's home. I was so impressed when I first read about her. Such entrepreneurial gumption!

      Reply
    7. Traci | Vanilla And Bean -

      June 16, 2017 at 5:47 am

      What fun at the CIA and what a fabulous opportunity to cook with other bloggers in such a setting! Hooray! Now this socca... I've never tried it, but with your briny olives and roasted fennel, I'm hooked. I mean HOOKED! I have no words of wisdom to offer for your little one's picky ways. I don't know what I'd do. Pull all my hair out and drink a bottle of wine?! - LOL! Okay - trying socca soon and thank you for this!

      Reply
    8. Carla -

      June 17, 2017 at 10:23 am

      Olive lovers unite! Yes PLEASE to those dehydrated olives, maaaaaan.

      Reply
    9. Brian @ A Thought For Food -

      June 19, 2017 at 5:30 am

      I just adore olives... I'm not sure when I became obsessed with them but it's been a long time (I think your "buttery umami" description is spot on). Your socca flatbread is stunning and all those amazing ingredients on it are perfection.

      Reply
    10. Veronica -

      December 16, 2018 at 12:13 pm

      Thank you to Snixy Kitchen for the wonderful idea for a party appetizer! This beautiful appetizer was a success! I shared the recipe and your website with several people at the party!

      Reply
    11. Jenny -

      June 26, 2020 at 6:20 pm

      I am gluten and dairy free so was thrilled to try something that could fulfill the basic pizza concept without weird ingredient subs. This was my first experience making socca and it’s absolutely delicious! I followed the recipe for the batter, increasing it by 25% to bake it in a 12” skillet. For toppings, I used what I had on hand: a cheese-free pesto topped with roasted mushrooms, garlic cloves and red onions. My only miss was that I was afraid of overcooking the socca, so I didn’t leave it under the broiler long enough. It came out with crispy edges and a creamier center - a little reminiscent of polenta, so still yummy! - but we had to eat with a knife and fork. You really can’t go wrong; it’s a very versatile and forgiving recipe. Thanks for sharing, Sarah! I will be making this again and again and can’t wait to try it with the mint-parsley oil and fennel. The possibilities are endless!

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Primary Sidebar

    Sarah Menanix Picture

    I’m Sarah (aka Snix)! Welcome to Snixy Kitchen - where I create gluten-free recipes with fresh, local ingredients to tell stories about my life.

    More about me ➤

    Trending Recipes

    • Gluten-Free Dumpling Wrappers
    • Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower and Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner
    • Gluten-Free Olive Oil Matcha Cake
    • Matcha Mochi Cake
    The Ultimate Guide to Matcha

    Gluten-Free Staples

    • Gluten-Free White Chocolate Matcha Brownies with Tahini Swirl
    • Matcha Coconut Almond Butter Cups
    • Matcha Cheesecake with Blueberry Swirl
    • Gluten-Free Key Lime Pie with Matcha (Dairy-Free & Vegan Options)
    KitchenAid Stand Mixer Amazon Affiliate Link

    Footer

    ⬆ back to top

    • Subscribe
    • About
    • Contact
    • Work with me
    • FAQ
    • Recipes

    Privacy Policy | Disclosure

    All content & images © 2021 Snixy Kitchen