Panelle
Palermo chickpea fritters
Panelle are thin chickpea-flour fritters from Palermo, fried until puffed and crisp and eaten in a sesame roll with lemon: pane e panelle.
The story
Chickpea flour, water, salt and parsley: that is all there is to panelle, one of the oldest street foods in Palermo. Fry stalls in the city still sell them stuffed into a soft sesame roll, often with crocchè, with a squeeze of lemon. The batter is cooked like polenta, set in a thin layer, then cut and fried.
Ingredients
Method
1Make the batter
Whisk the chickpea flour into the cold water in a saucepan with the salt until there are no lumps.
2Cook it
Set over a medium-low heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon or whisk. After about 10–15 minutes it will thicken to a heavy paste that pulls away from the sides of the pan. Stir in the parsley and pepper.
3Set it
Working quickly, spread the paste about 5 mm (¼ in) thick on lightly oiled trays or plates, smoothing it with an oiled spatula. Leave to cool and set for at least 1 hour.
Tip: In Palermo the paste is spread on small wooden boards; any flat oiled surface works.
4Cut and fry
Cut into rectangles about 6 × 8 cm (2½ × 3 in). Heat 2 cm of oil in a frying pan to about 180°C (355°F) and fry a few at a time for 2–3 minutes a side, until puffed and golden. Drain on kitchen paper and salt lightly.
5Serve
Eat hot with lemon, or the Palermo way: in a soft sesame roll, with crocchè.
Tips for success
- Keep stirring while the batter cooks or it will catch on the bottom.
- If the paste is lumpy, a minute with a stick blender before you spread it fixes it.
Variations
- Add a pinch of ground fennel seed or chilli to the batter.
Making ahead and storing
The set, uncut sheets keep for 2 days in the fridge, covered. Fry just before serving.
What to drink
A cold beer is what Palermo drinks with them; for wine, a crisp Grillo.
Panelle: your questions
Are panelle gluten-free?
The panelle themselves are made only from chickpea flour, water, salt and parsley, so yes. The bread roll they are served in is not.
What is pane e panelle?
Panelle in a soft sesame-seeded roll (often a mafalda or muffoletta), with lemon and sometimes crocchè: Palermo’s classic street sandwich.
Cooked it? Show us.
We are building this collection from real kitchens, not stock photos. If you make Panelle, send us a photograph of your plate and, with your permission, we may feature it here with your name.
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