By June. The city is fully itself in June. The light lasts until eight-thirty and the harbor turns that particular color of late evening blue and the whole place is the best version of Boston before July gets humid and August makes you forget why you love it. I've been going to the waterfront with Liam in the mornings and there is something about standing at the water with him that is new. He's begun looking out, tracking movement, watching boats and light with the same focused attention he usually gives to ceiling fans. The world is arriving to him in pieces and he's assembling it.
Maternity leave ends in eight weeks. I've been trying not to think about it and thinking about it constantly, both at once. I know I want to go back. I'm a nurse and the floor is part of me in a way that eight weeks off hasn't changed. But Liam will be at my mother's during the day when I go back, and the idea of leaving him—not leaving him in the sense of abandonment but just the ordinary leaving that parents do every day—is something I'm still building toward emotionally.
Meghan told me it was the hardest day and then it was fine. Everyone tells me it's the hardest day and then it's fine. I believe them and the belief does not make it easier.
I made a big pot of minestrone on Sunday because June is when the vegetables start being worth putting in things—zucchini, green beans, early tomatoes. The soup was full of color and it sat on the stove all afternoon and the apartment smelled like something productive was happening, which it was.
The minestrone was for Sunday, when I had the whole afternoon and wanted something that simmered. But the summer squash kept showing up at the market all week, and on a Tuesday night when I had an hour and Liam had finally gone down, I wanted something that used those vegetables without the long commitment — something just as colorful, just as worth making. This socca pizza has become my answer to June when the produce is finally speaking for itself and I don’t want to bury it in anything too heavy.
Socca Pizza with Summer Squash and Feta
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Total Time: 40 min | Servings: 2–3
Ingredients
- Socca crust:
- 1 cup chickpea flour (also called garbanzo bean flour)
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- Toppings:
- 1 medium zucchini or yellow summer squash, thinly sliced into rounds
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Fresh basil leaves, for serving
Instructions
- Make the batter. Whisk together chickpea flour, warm water, 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and garlic powder in a medium bowl until smooth. Let the batter rest for at least 15 minutes at room temperature (up to a few hours — longer resting improves texture).
- Prep the squash. While the batter rests, toss the sliced squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil, minced garlic, red pepper flakes if using, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- Heat the pan. Position an oven rack about 6 inches from the broiler element and preheat the broiler on high. Place a 10–12 inch oven-safe skillet (cast iron works best) under the broiler for 5 minutes until very hot.
- Cook the socca base. Carefully remove the hot skillet and add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, swirling to coat. Pour in the batter — it should sizzle immediately. Return to the broiler and cook for 5–7 minutes, until the edges are set and the top begins to look dry and golden in spots.
- Add toppings and finish. Remove the skillet from the broiler. Arrange the squash slices and cherry tomatoes evenly over the socca. Scatter the crumbled feta on top. Return to the broiler for another 5–7 minutes, until the squash is tender and lightly charred at the edges and the feta begins to color.
- Slice and serve. Let the pizza rest in the pan for 2 minutes. Slide onto a cutting board, top with fresh basil leaves, slice into wedges, and serve immediately.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 310 | Protein: 12g | Fat: 17g | Carbs: 28g | Fiber: 5g | Sodium: 480mg