The socarrat refers to that thin crust of rice that cooks at the bottom of a paella pan. It is slightly toasted, crispy, and full of flavor. <\/strong> It is certainly the most complicated element to achieve when cooking paella. Some people think it’s a defect, but it is not at all; it is a goal to be achieved by cooks of this popular Spanish dish. Guests often even consider it the best part of the meal. Note that while a socarrat is created in paella, the term socarrat applies to any dish in which this rice crust forms at the bottom of the pan. Below, a Spanish cook is preparing a socarrat “galette” (disk). <\/p>\n\n