Find your lunchtime alternative with DeadHungry’s latest quarantine recipe

We’re living through unprecedented times – the current, very unusual alteration to the way we live life right now calls for solidarity, togetherness, and communication. So on Dazed, we’ve created the #AloneTogether community. Across the days, weeks, or months of the coronavirus pandemic and concurrent isolation measures, we’re connecting with our audience to offer URL experiences, art, and advice made with you and talent from across music, fashion, art, tech, and politics. We may be alone, but we are together.

As we enter our fourth week of coronavirus lockdown, many people will have lost inspiration when it comes to rustling up lunch everyday. So, instead of reaching for that bread and another tin of tuna, head over to Dazed’s IGTV for Alex Paganelli’s (AKA @DeadHungry) latest recipe in the second episode of our six-part series, ‘Dine In With @DeadHungry’.

Following the first instalment, in which Alex offered an easy but impressive vegan take on the Japanese fried chicken known as chicken karaage, the chef and photographer now shares the recipe for la socca – a pancake that hails from Nice. Described by Alex as “a salad, really”, la socca is a healthy alternative to a sandwich, and benefits from being gluten free, vegan, and easy to make (though might need some pre-logging-off-Slack prep).

‘Dine In With @DeadHungry’ will drop on Dazed’s IGTV every Tuesday, and will see Alex share simple but inventive new recipes and how-to videos, each that can easily be done in isolation – no sous chefs needed.

LA SOCCA

This week, Dead Hungry is going back to his roots with la socca – a pancake traditional to Nice, France. Made with chickpea flour (AKA gram flour), the batter is gluten free and vegan. Filled with lush green herbs that make it look like it’s been dropped in grass, this healthy snack is basically a salad, really. If you’re not blessed with a traditional pancake pan or handy blowtorch, this can easily be done in a regular pan and finished under the grill. Enjoy drizzled with chilli oil as a light lunch for when you get sick of sandwiches. 

FOR FANS OF: Healthy bread alternatives, pancakes, anything but another sandwich, a bit of spice.

YOU WILL NEED

FOR THE CHILLI OIL:

Olive oil (200ml)

Sweet Turkish chilli flakes (40g)

Fine salt (1 tsp)

Caster sugar (1 tsp)

FOR THE SOCCA:

Makes 4 large pancakes

Gram flour (200g)

Water (400ml)

Fine salt (2 tsp)

Extra virgin olive oil (120ml)

Chives (1 bunch)

Tarragon (1 bunch)

Dill (1 bunch)

METHOD

FOR THE CHILLI OIL:

1. Combine all the ingredients in a small pot
2. Simmer for 10 minutes
3. Cool down before using

FOR THE SOCCA:

1. Place flour and salt in a bowl
2. Add water in 3 steps. Whisk the batter until it is as smooth as possible before adding the rest of the water. This way you will get rid of all the lumps before diluting all the water. The batter is very thin!
3. Add the olive oil and half of the finely chopped herbs (you will use the other half to garnish)
4. Chill for 30 minutes (essential!)
5. Preheat your oven to 220°C with a well-oiled, large cast iron pan on the top shelf. Heat the oven and pan up for at least 20 to 30 minutes. When piping hot, grab the pan out of the oven with a thick cloth or gloves. Give the batter a little stir with a ladle and pour a very thin layer of the cold batter and shake the pan so the batter is evenly spread out. Cook for 4 minutes at 220°C on the top shelf
6. Heat a traditional pancake pan on your gas or induction hob until it’s very hot. Give the batter a little stir with a ladle and pour a very thin layer of the cold batter and shake the pan so the batter is evenly spread out. Place the pan under the grill for 3 minutes on the middle shelf

TO ASSEMBLE:

1. Blow torch the socca (optional! grill works fine) and brush with some of the chilli oil
2. Sprinkle a generous handful of chopped herbs
3. Finish with a few flakes of sea salt. Eat while it’s hot!