Socca Pizza with Arugula Pea Pesto, Yellow Tomatoes, & Ricotta

I did not invent the concept of the socca flatbread pizza, though I wish I had, because then I could brag about what a genius I am. Alas, the inspiration for my pizza came not in a dream, but in the form of this gorgeous spring pesto flatbread at the Kitchn. In place of the original version's salad and mint pesto topping, I topped my flatbread with an  arugula and pea pesto, yellow heirloom tomatoes, ricotta cheese, pea shoots, and Parmesan.

Socca is simply a chick pea flour flatbread. It's low carb and gluten free and delicious and my new Favorite Thing in the World. You can dress it up in any number of ways - add herbs, garlic, shallots, etc. - but in its basic form it's equal parts chick pea flour and water, a bit of salt, and a few glugs of olive oil. The batter is left to rest for a couple of hours, then broiled until crispy on the edges  - about one cup at a time -  in a preheated cast iron skillet with a good glug of olive oil.  I've made it before, but I've never topped it like a pizza. Silly me!

I meant for my pizza to have Maryland crab on it, until I got to Whole Foods and discovered that the price of local crab has gone through the roof - over $40 for a wee little thing of lump. Needless to say, I'll be sticking to mussels, clams, and oysters when the craving for shellfish hits.

And so I subbed in  ricotta and Parmesan  for crab, and I believe my flatbread was none the worse for it.

The pesto is a recipe I created for Style magazine, which you can find here. It's a bright and summery blend of arugula, peas, Vidalia onion, lemon zest, olive oil, and salt and pepper. As for the rest of the assembly - well, you can see for yourself.

This was a gorgeous main course, but cut into smaller slices it would totally work as a side dish or cocktail party bite.

I will be making many more of these this summer, and I suggest you do the same.