These fantastic chickpea blini are a great way to kick off your holiday celebrations. Topped with hummus, mushrooms and porcini they are vegan and gluten free!
We’ve been eating a lot of chickpea crepes, also called socca, in our house of late.
They’ve been a favourite over the last few summers, filled with a cream cheese mushroom sauce. However, now that I’ve discovered that I’m lactose intolerant, I thought my creamy mushroom and chickpea crepes would be a thing of the past until I realised I could use my dairy free creamy mushroom alfredo sauce filling instead. They were an instant hit with my husband. So much so I think he’d have them for dinner every night of the week if I’d make them!
So I’ve been looking for new ways to enjoy chickpea crepes and this is my new favourite. Baby Chickpea Crepes, blini style, with Hummus and Mushrooms.
The batter is a beautifully golden mixture of chickpea flour, water and olive oil. I’ve also added some finely chopped rehydrated porcini, but feel free to omit them if you don’t have any.
You can make blini sized socca, as I have, or larger crepes, the size is really up to you. Although I do think blini’s work best if you plan on serving them at a cocktail party, this Christmas, as they fit in one hand while you sip a glass of champagne with the other! And more importantly they can be eaten delicately, in one bite.
I’ve topped my blini with hummus and baby button mushrooms with garlic and porcini. Shop bought hummus works fine, if you are short of time. Alternatively you can top them with caramelised onion or lightly sautéed spinach with a squeeze of lemon. If you can tolerate dairy a dollop of creme fraiche would be wonderful too. As would a drizzle of truffle oil over the mushrooms. Micro-greens are a pretty finishing touch.
Chickpea Blini with Hummus and Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 1 cup chickpea flour Garbanzo Bean or Besan
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup water
- 2 tsp olive oil
- olive oil for frying
- HUMMUS:
- 2 cups cooked chickpeas garbanzo beans
- 2 tbs tahini
- 1 clove garlic
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbs to 2 water
- MUSHROOMS:
- 3 tbs dried porcini mushrooms
- 1/3 cup boiling water
- 500 g button mushrooms sliced, 17 oz
- 1 tbs to 2 olive oil for frying
- 1 clove large of garlic finely chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- TO SERVE:
- microgreens
Instructions
- Begin by making the crepes. Combine the chickpea flour with the salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the water and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the olive oil and let the batter rest for 1 hour.
- While the chickpea batter rests soak some beautifully pungent porcini in boiling water. Once rehydrated finely chop the porcini reserving the water.
- Make the hummus by placing all of the ingredients in a food processor and processing until smooth. Taste, adjust seasonings as needed and refrigerate.
- Lightly brush a 7-inch frying pan with olive oil and set it over medium heat. Add spoonfuls of batter. Cook for 1 minute, or until the edges start to turn brown. Flip and cook for 1 minute before transferring to a large plate. Repeat with the remaining batter.
- Return the pan to a medium high heat and add the oil and mushrooms. Fry until golden. Add the finely chopped porcini, garlic and porcini water and cook until the liquid has evaporated. Season, to taste.
- To serve top the blini with a spoonful of hummus and mushrooms and top with micro-greens.
Recipe Notes
You can pick up chickpea flour (also called besan flour) cheaply at your favourite Indian grocer.
Disclosure
This post was sponsored by Australian Mushroom Growers Association
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Mushroom and Quinoa San Choi Bao {vegan + gluten free}
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Corinne says
Hi, it would be really helpful if you had your measurements in a more standard format ie grams or ml. Cup sizes differ throughout the world so it’s hard to know how much 1 cup of chickpea flour is.
Nicole says
Hi Corrine! Most of my readers are in the US, where cups are indeed standard measures. But I have a handy conversion chart here: . I try to list both ways when I remember!
Nina says
These crepes with 100% chickpea flour are amazing! I was eating them plain straight out of the pan. I could see these with lots of possibilities. We tried a vegan arugula pesto spread under the veg. Could see baba ghanouj as well or a tapenade or a lentil puree under the veg…endless! And those crepes are so stinkin’ cute as well…thanks!
Jill says
You say to combine the chickpea flour with the all purpose flour yet I don’t see the AP flour in the ingredients. If there is AP flour is it OK to use a gluten free blend? With or without xanthan gum?
Jennifer says
Thanks for picking up that mistake Jill. My original recipe for chickpea crepes used all purpose flour, but I’ve been leaving that out and they turn out just fine. No need to sub in gluten free flour or xanthan gum. I’ve updated the recipe to remove the reference to AP. Sorry for the confusion! 😀
vegeTARAian says
These are so cute! I bet they are delicious too – a lovely snack for entertaining.
Kankana says
Such fun treat and definitely sounds easy!
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says
Clever canape that everyone will love.
Sonia @ Natural New Age Mum says
I love this idea – perfect for us GF peeps!
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
What perfect bites, I love the hummus and mushroom topping!
Bec says
What a astunning recipe! I have never made chickpea pancakes before and keen to give them a go. Maybe turn it into a brunch type meal! Bec x
Alexandra says
Ooh these are gorgeous! Can’t believe how easy these blini are to make – they’re definitely on my must-make list now.