Socca (chickpea pancake)

Method

1. Heat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas 7. Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl, then add the salt. Add the water gradually, whisking with a balloon whisk to remove any lumps. Set the batter aside to rest for at least 1 hour – the longer, the better.
2. Heat a large (20-23cm diameter) ovenproof frying pan in the oven for a few minutes. Remove, then pour in half the olive oil. Add half the batter (it should be no deeper than 0.5cm in the pan) and whisk it gently with the hot oil. Return the pan to the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes until deep golden. After 10 minutes, use a spatula to loosen the socca around the edges to make it easier to remove at the end of cooking.
3. Turn the socca out onto a plate, then repeat with the remaining batter. Serve immediately, cut into rough wedges and sprinkled with plenty of freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste.