The humble chickpea (also known as garbanzo beans) with its gnarly and knobbled exterior, is perhaps a surprising Nourish the Planet champion. It’s the quiet star of traditional dishes around the world from middle eastern hummus to Indian curries and closer to home, the crêpes from the south of France made from chickpea flour, known as socca. Like other dried legumes, chickpeas have a small carbon footprint, but a rich nutrient profile – high in fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals as well as antioxidant polyphenols which protect us against disease. Their rich, creamy and nutty texture makes them truly versatile and these earthy, full-flavored crêpes are easy to throw together and the toppings are only as limited as your imagination. Here we’ve garnished them with a fresh goat’s milk cheese flecked with lemon zest, zucchini ribbons bathed in lemon juice and olive oil and scattered with crunchy pine nuts and some basil oil.
Chickpea Crêpes
Makes two large crêpes | Equipment: A 10-inch (25 cm) nonstick crêpe pan (see Note) or a seasoned cast-iron pan with a non-stick surface; a silicone pastry brush (optional); a spatula.
Ingredients
1 scant cup (about 100 g) chickpea flour (garbanzo bean flour)
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Method
1. In a bowl, combine the flour and salt and whisk to remove any lumps. Add 1 cup (250 ml) water and whisk again until smooth. If time allows, let the mixture rest for one hour at room temperature.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in the pan over medium heat until shimmering. Making sure that the pan is properly preheated, so that the batter sizzles when it hits the pan, will give you a more golden result and the crepe will be less likely to stick. Using the pastry brush, brush the oil evening across the surface of the pan so it is evenly distributed. Pour half of the batter (just over 1/2 cup/135 ml) into the hot pan, swirling it around to cover the bottom of the pan. Cook until the underside is golden, and the batter on the top side is dry and perforated with small holes, about 2–3 minutes. With the spatula, very carefully flip the crêpe and cook the other side until the crêpe is cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer the first crêpe to a plate. Repeat to make the second crêpe.
NOTE
Crêpe pans have a sloped edge. To determine the size of the pan, measure from lip to lip at the widest diameter at the top of the pan.
This is a Nourish the Planet recipe, part of a collaborative series by Patricia Wells and Emily Buchanan.
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