One of the glories of France is its cuisine, and each region has its own delicious specialties. Along the country’s Mediterranean coast, you’ll find three culinary cousins to tantalize your tastebuds. They are made from the same ingredients, but in very different ways.
Panisse, cade, and socca are found from Marseille to the Italian border, and they share a common ancestor: Italy’s farinata. Centuries ago, Italian workers from Liguria brought this poor man’s dish with them as they labored in France. Some say that they first came to Toulouse at Napoleon’s request, to repair French navel vessels, but that is probably just a legend.
The key ingredient is chickpea flour, which is common in the area because it thrives in dry climates and poor soil. Popular among the poor because it was cheap, today chickpea flour has gained new popularity because it is not only delicious and nutritious, but also gluten-free.
Let’s look at the three French descendants of farinata.
Panisse
Panisse makes its home in Marseille, where it is practically an institution. The dish is so popular there that author Marcel Pagnol gave the name Panisse to one of the main characters in his famous Marseille trilogy.
Panisse, like the other dishes, is made with just three ingredients: chickpea flour, olive oil, and water. Some people add salt at this point, others add it later.
The ingredients are mixed and then cooked at a low heat to until they have the consistency of polenta. This is formed into shapes, usually into squares about 1.5cm thick, and cooled. Once these have solidified, they are cut into strips, like long square fingers, then cooked in oil and sprinkled with salt. Panisse can be eaten as a snack or as a side dish, and there is no better accompaniment than a glass of chilled rosé wine.
Cade
Moving eastward to Toulon, we find cade, which uses the same ingredients as panisse but with less water. This creates a batter that is poured into big round dishes, like pizza pans, until it is about 1.5cm thick. Some people like to add herbs like rosemary to the mix, or add thin slices of onion on top.
The pan is put into a very hot pizza oven until the top becomes golden brown and crispy, while the bottom remains soft. This is then sprinkled with salt and pepper and cut into squares. You’ll often find vendors selling cade in the region’s open air markets, and see people munching away as they do their shopping.
Socca
Now we come to Nice, socca’s champion. Socca is similar to cade but is made with more water. This makes for a thinner batter, which is poured into big round pans to a depth of only 2mm. Once in the hot oven, it cooks quickly and comes out nice and crispy. Sliced into pieces, it is best eaten right away. Socca is very popular in Nice, and you’ll often find lines outside local specialists like Chez Térésa.
From Poor to Chic
While panisse, cade, and socca all began as food for the poor, today they have become rather chic, and everyone seems to enjoy them. You’ll see people sitting in beachfront cafés, munching on panisse or cade, sipping wine and watching the sun go down. It’s quite a change from their humble beginnings!
Keith Van Sickle splits his time between Provence and California. He is the author of An Insider’s Guide to Provence, One Sip at a Time, and Are We French Yet? Read more at Life in Provence
