Brussels sprouts gratin with socca

This was a wonderful meal insipired by the Mediterranean. We ate this with our family on a dark and gloomy sunday evening, and it really brought some sunshine to our home and our hearts. Socca is kind of a pancake (salty one) which is made from chickpea flour. It's a speciality in Nice, you can buy it freshly baked from the streets. It was a wonderful companion to the brussels sprouts gratin, and I have to say that this meal was one of the most succeeded ones I've made. I must do it again, it's so wonderful in every ways.

Brussels sprouts gratin

Ingredients:

400 g brussels sprouts (one package)

water

1 tsp salt

tomato sauce:

1 big onion

4 garlic cloves

2 tbsp olive oil

1 can (400g) crushed tomatoes

12 little tomatoes, cut in half

1 tsp herbsalt (herbamare)

1 tsp black pepper

1/2 dl dried basilic or one pot fresh basilic

1 dl grated parmesan cheese

for the topping:

1 dl grated emmental cheese

1. Heat the oven into 225°C degrees.

2. Cut the heads off from the brussels sprouts and remove the dirty outer leaves. Cook the brussels sprouts in boiling water seasoned with salt for 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile prepare the sauce: chop the onion and press the garlic cloves. Heat the olive oil and sauté the onions.

4. Add the little tomatoes, then the crushed tomatoes and salt and pepper.

5. Add the basilic and the grated parmesan, turn off the heat and leave to stew.

6. Butter the oven mould with oil, put the cooked brussels sprouts into the mould and pour the tomato sauce over.

7. Sprinkle the emmental cheese on top and put into the oven for 15 minutes.

10. Serve with fresh salad and socca or something else if you want to.

La socca (for four persons)

Ingredients:

125 g chickpeaflour

sea salt flowers

freshly grounded black pepper

2 tbsp olive oil

and some olive oil for buttering the baking sheet

1. Pour the flour into a deep bowl and make a hole in the middle. Pour 3,5 dl water into the hole. Mix the flour and the water well, so that the dough is smooth. Season with salt and pepper and in the end add the olive oil. Cover with gladwrap and put into a chilly place for 30 minutes.

2. Heat the oven to 250°C. Put the well buttered baking sheet or a large mould in the oven for 2 minutes, so that the oil heats up.

3. Spread the dough into the baking sheet and put it back into the oven. Bake the socca until dry and golden yellow (it takes about 10 minutes).

4. Take away from the oven, cut into lozenges and before serving sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper.