Apprehensive about starting something I couldn’t finish, I’ve been sticking to the top deck – frying, stewing, and sautéeing. This week I decided to risk it and try something I’d been putting off for when Mrs. Tappan TGF320 was in a good mood. I first came across socca (also known as farinata) in an old Mark Bittman piece that resurfaced a few week ago. A kind of crêpe or flatbread, it’s made with simple batter using garbanzo flour, water and olive oil. Fresh herbs, parmesean, and sliced onions can also be tossed in. In Uruguay, where there was a large Genovese immigration, its known as fainá. Served on top of pizza, it becomes fainá a caballo or fainá on horseback.

Because the cast-iron skillet (for the fainá) and pizza stone are both preheated inside the oven, I’d know soon enough if it was going to cooperate before I’d committed the batter. In case it was a fail, I bought the pizza dough pre-made and figured the tomato sauce could be frozen. The batter could rest for anywhere from 2-12 hours so I could always try again later. In the end, none of that mattered because after a about 15 minutes my oven was steadily working its way up to blazing hot. Moving fast, I rolled out the pizza while the batter rested and messily added the toppings. Because it needs a few extra minutes, the batter went in first followed by the pizza. Done at about the same time, I added a drizzle of olive oil to the fainá and dropped the skillet down to the broiler to brown the top. The broiler made a half-hearted attempt at crisping but it didn’t matter too much. It had put in a good day’s work and needed a rest.

Fainá a Caballo/Chickpea Crêpe atop Pizza
In minimalist fashion, Bittman makes a resting period for the batter optional but the batch I left out at room temperature for a couple of hours came out the best. Still, he does figure out how to do it without a wood burning oven and cooper pan so keeping it simple has its merits.

Known as socca in Nice, cecina in Tuscany, farinata in most of Italy, and fainá in Genoa, Uruguay, and Argentina, it can be served atop pizza or as an appetizer. I did read that canola or sunflower oil is often used in Uruguay where olive oil can be expensive but haven’t tried. I included the recipe for the pizza I made  as well but any variation would work, though a sauce heavy slice balances out the crispness of the flatbread well.

For the fainá (barely adapted from this article by Mark Bittman):
1 cup chickpea flour (also sold as garbanzo flour)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup lukewarm water
4-5 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves

Sift together the chickpea flour, salt and ground pepper. Slowly, stir in the lukewarm water, whisking constantly to eliminate lumps. Stir in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Cover, and let sit for two hours at room temperature or refrigerate for up to 12 hours.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and place a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet inside.

Stir the rosemary into the batter. Carefully remove skillet from oven and pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the heated pan, swirling to cover the pan. Pour in the batter and place in oven.  Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until it’s firm and the edges are set. If it looks dry, brush lightly with olive oil and place under the broiler to lightly brown the top. Watch carefully.

Sprinkle with salt or pepper. Cut and serve on its own or toss it on some pizza.

For the pizza:
1/2 pound thawed, frozen pizza dough, divided and formed into a ball
3 tablespoons olive oil, extra virgin
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 pound ripe tomatoes, cut in half horizontally
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced
¼ cup parmesan or manchego cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped

Shape the dough into a ball and allow to sit at room temperature at least 20 minutes or up to an hour before shaping.

While the dough rests, prepare the tomato sauce. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering.  Add the onions and cook until golden, about 15 minutes.  Using the side of a large knife or mortar and pestle, mash the garlic to a paste and combine well with salt and pepper.  Add to the skillet and sauté and additional 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Pass the cut tomatoes through a box grater, reserving pulp and juice and discarding the skin. Stir in the tomato pulp.

Bring to a simmer then turn the heat to medium-low. Cook, partially covered, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Use immediately or puree until smooth. Makes about 1 ½-2 cups.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a 10-12-inch circle.  To stretch the dough, hold the dough between the palm and fingers and gently press the edges while you pull it counter-clockwise, to form an oval.  Place the dough on the peel and cover with 5 or 6 slices of mozzarella. Spoon the tomato sauce on top, leaving a border, and sprinkle with shredded cheese.

Position the peel at the far edge of the baking stone and, in one smooth motion, slide it toward you, leaving the pizza on the stone.  Bake until the edges are golden brown and the cheese is bubbling, 8-10 minutes.  Transfer to a wire cooling rack, sprinkle with oregano, and wait several minutes before slicing.

It’s hard not to be drawn to a recipe by a beautiful photograph.  Thomas Keller’s Ad Hoc at Home, Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid’s Mangoes & Curry Leaves: Culinary Travels Through the Great Subcontinent, and Francis Mallman’s Seven Fires: Grilling the Argentine Way have all escaped from my kitchen shelves to my coffee table (where both the books and I feel they belong).  Not surprisingly, Santiago Soto Monllor won this year’s James Beard award for Best Photography for Seven Fires.

Still, despite the incredible food images in print and on line, it was the Chilean name, panqueques celestinos for crêpes filled with dulce de leche that caught my eye.  Pale blue heaven wrapped in a crêpe? It had to be dulce de leche.

Popular in Argentina, Uruguay, and Chile, I always order them at Che Tito’s, the Argentinian restaurant I visit whenever I’m home.  A non-descript spot wedged between a pet store and a frame shop, it’s a pizza place that grills an incredible churrasco de entraña, there’s usually a soccer game playing on the big screen tv, and it’s always full but you never have to wait for a table, the restaurant just magically expands.

With the grilling season in full swing, I thought it would be a good time learn how to make them myself.  Though there are several versions, including a great one in Seven Fires I referred to often (that can be made at home or over a wood fire of course), I consulted the always calm and cool Julia Child, the politely short-tempered Madame E. Saint-Ange of La Bonne Cuisine, and the cheerful Maria Baez Kijac for the crêpes.  A seemingly simple task that’s tripped me up before, Julia explained the importance of letting the batter rest, allowing the flour particles to expand insuring a tender and light result, Madame Saint-Ange emphasized using just the necessary amount or clarified butter or purified fat so that your crepes don’t have that “sweaty, unpleasant look” (author’s emphasis), and Baez Kijac’s advised how to work ahead to keep the summertime living easy.  More text than illustration, I love these books too for what they don’t have.  With a few helpful details that describe the why as well as the how, they helped me find my own way to an image that started with a couple of words.

Panqueques Celestinos/Panqueques de Dulce de Leche
For the crêpes, I followed Julia Child’s recipe for Pâte à Crêpes from Mastering the Art of French Cooking.  Quickly blended then allowed to rest, I used half the batter for dessert and used the remaining crêpes for leftovers.

1 cup cold water
1 cup cold milk
4 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

4 tablespoons clarified butter or canola oil or more as needed
1 cup dulce de leche

Put the liquids, eggs, salt, flour and melted butter in a blender jar.  Cover and blend at highest speed for 1 minute.  Scape down the sides with a rubber scraper as needed and blend for 2 to 3 seconds more.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Heat a heavy cast-iron skillet or crêpe pan over moderately high heat.  Brush with about tablespoon of clarified butter or oil.  Take pan off heat and, holding the handle of the pan, pour 1/4 cup of the batter into the middle of the pan.  Tilt the pan in all directions to so that batter evenly  coats the bottom of the pan.  Return to heat and cook for 30 to 60 seconds until lightly browned.  Turn and cook on the other side an additional 30 seconds.  Cool on a rack before stacking on a plate.  Add more butter or oil as needed and repeat with remaining batter.*

Spread crêpes with heaping tablespoon of dulce de leche.  Roll jelly-roll style or fold in half.  You can also add toasted walnuts or pecans, shredded coconut or chocolate sauce.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar or whipped cream and serve.

*Crêpes can be kept in a 200 degree oven until ready to serve.  They can also be made in advance and reheated before using or frozen.  If frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator then reheat in a 300 degree oven for 5-10 minutes.

Makes 12-16 crêpes.

It had been a awhile since I’d posted a recipe for ñoquis del 29. A monthly tradition that promises prosperity in Argentina and Uruguay, I wanted to start the year off right.  Looking for a new recipe, I remembered my first attempt at Meyer lemon gnocchis a couple of years ago.  I wasn’t sure how to go about it then so I thought it would be a good time to make a fresh batch.

Meyer Lemon Gnocchi
Adapted from Food & Wine, March 2008. I love Meyer lemons, but they’re something so improbably sunny about them that I always forget that they’re in season through the winter.  I thought they’d be a great choice for January.

1 lb russet (baking potatoes)
3 large egg yolks
Finely gratet zest of 2 lemon (preferably Meyer lemons)
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 stick (1/2 cup) + 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces
Chopped chives to garnish
Salt to taste

Place whole potatoes in a heavy pot with water to cover and bring to a boil.  Lower heat to a low boil and cook until just tender, about 45 minutes.

When cool enough to handle, peel and force through ricer or food mill onto a sheet pan, spreading in an even layer. Cool potatoes completely.

Beat together egg yolks, lemon zest, 1 tsp of olive oil and 1 1/2 tsp salt in a small bowl.  On a lightly floured board, gather potatoes into a mound in sheet pan, using a pastry scraper if you have one, and form a well in center.  Pour egg mixture into well, then knead into potatoes. Sprinkle the flour over the potatoes and gently mix in until a dough just forms.  Dust top lightly with some flour.

Cut dough into 6 pieces.  Gently roll each piece into a ball and lightly dust with flour.  Repeat with remaining 5 pieces of dough.  Form 1 piece of dough into a 1/2-inch-thick rope on a lightly floured surface. Cut rope into 1/2-inch pieces.

Turn a fork over and hold at a 45-degree angle, with tips of tines touching work surface. Working with 1 at a time, roll gnocchi down fork tines, pressing with your thumb, to make ridges on 1 side. Transfer gnocchi as formed to baking sheets.

In a small sauce pan, bring broth to a simmer.  Off heat, whisk in 1/2 cup of butter by adding the pieces a little at a time until the sauce is creamy.  Warm sauce on low heat if necessary.  Add lemon juice.  Add salt to taste and set aside.

Cook gnocchi:
Add half of gnocchi to a pasta pot of well-salted boiling water and stir. Cook until they float to surface, about 3 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a baking sheet. Cook remaining gnocchi in same manner, transferring to baking sheet as cooked.  Toss with 2 tablespoon of olive oil.

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat.  Add gnocchi in a single layer and cook over high heat until they the bottoms brown, about 2 minutes.  Transfer cooked gnocchis to a large mixing bowl and repeat with remaining gnocchis, adding more butter as needed.

Warm butter sauce over low heat.  Pour over gnocchis and gently mix until evenly coated.  Transfer to serving dish and garnish with chopped chives to taste.

Additional notes:
Uncooked gnocchi can be frozen (first in 1 layer on a baking sheet, then transferred to a sealable bag) up to 1 month. Do not thaw before cooking.  Sauce and topping can be halved; make full recipe of gnocchi and freeze half of it.
Serves 6.

Click here for more ñoquis del 29.

I’ve been going through this week’s New York Times travel section featuring Latin America, specifically  an awakened Chile, colonial Colombia, 36 Hours in Montevideo, Rio hot spots, Peruvian restaurants, and rejuvenated Mazatlán.  Travel exhausts me but its a fun read.