Panelle

Panelle

If you walk through the historic markets of Palermo, one smell rises above everything else: hot oil and chickpea batter frying into thin golden fritters. This is the unmistakable scent of panelle, one of the oldest and most beloved street foods in Sicily.

Panelle are deceptively simple. They are made from chickpea flour, water, parsley, black pepper, and salt. The mixture is cooked into a thick paste, spread thin, cut into pieces, and fried until crisp. The result is a fritter that is lightly crunchy on the outside with a soft, creamy interior.

But like many Sicilian dishes, their story goes back centuries.

The origins of panelle likely trace back to the Arab period in Sicily between the 9th and 11th centuries. During this time, Arab rulers introduced many ingredients that would become foundational to Sicilian cuisine: citrus, sugarcane, rice, almonds, and chickpeas.

Across North Africa and the Middle East, cooks were already making dishes from chickpea flour that were cooked into a thick paste and then baked or fried. When this technique arrived in Palermo, it evolved into the panelle we know today.

By the 1800s, vendors known as panellari were selling freshly fried panelle throughout the streets of Palermo. They would fry them in large pans of oil and serve them immediately, often stuffed inside a sesame seed roll to make the famous pane e panelle sandwich.

To this day, pane e panelle remains one of the most iconic street foods in Palermo. The fritters are piled into soft sesame bread and sometimes served alongside cazzilli, small potato croquettes that are another Palermo specialty.

Panelle are also closely associated with St. Joseph’s Day on March 19. Chickpea dishes frequently appear on traditional Sicilian St. Joseph’s tables, honoring the saint with foods made from humble ingredients.

Despite their long history, panelle remain incredibly simple to make at home. With just a few pantry ingredients, you can recreate a piece of Palermo street food culture in your own kitchen.Recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup chickpea flour (farina di ceci)

• 3 cups water

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• ½ teaspoon black pepper

• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

• neutral oil for frying (vegetable or olive oil)

  Optional for serving

• sesame rolls

• lemon wedges

Instructions

In a bowl whisk the chickpea flour with 1 cup of the water until completely smooth and free of lumps.

• Add the remaining water and salt and whisk again.

• Pour the mixture into a saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon as the mixture begins to thicken. After about 8 to 10 minutes it will become very thick, similar to soft polenta.

• Continue stirring until the mixture is smooth and pulls slightly away from the sides of the pan.

• Stir in the black pepper and chopped parsley.

• Immediately spread the hot mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet or smooth surface. Use a spatula to spread it to about ¼ inch thickness.

• Allow it to cool completely for about 20 to 30 minutes until firm.

• Cut the sheet into rectangles or diamond shapes.

• Heat about 1 to 2 inches of oil in a pan to approximately 350°F.

• Fry the panelle in batches for 2 to 3 minutes until golden and lightly crisp.

• Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with a little salt.

• Serve hot.