Panelle: the traditional Sicilian street food recipe

The sign they are donuts made from chickpea flour, water, parsley and salt. great classic of Street food in Palermo, they are usually served hot inside the mafalde, a typical bread covered with sesame seeds, with the addition of lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, they’re fried in hot seed oil and are a temptation that’s impossible to resist. Making panelles at home is very simple and, once ready, you can enjoy them with cold cuts and cheeses such as antipasti or for a delicious aperitif, also suitable for those who follow a vegan and gluten-free diet.

For the success of the recipe, you must follow a few simple instructions: first sift carefully the Chick pea flour, to avoid the formation of lumps; always to obtain a smooth and creamy batter, it is important to pour the water little by little, constantly stirring with a whisk, then move the mixture to a saucepan and cook until thickened. Once finished, the parsley for a fresh and fragrant note.

It is also important to pay attention to the proportion ingredients: the original recipe, in fact, calls for the amount of water to be three times greater than that of the chickpea flour. The panels should be about 5 mm thick and, to spread them, you can use a smooth spatula. Once cooled, they are cut with a knife or cookie cutter to obtain more regular rectangles. Tradition has it that the sign comes frieswithout ever being rotated, but for a lighter version it is possible bake them in the oven.

Find out how to prepare them by following the step-by-step procedure and tips. Also try the cazzilli from Palermo and the sfincione from Palermo.

How to prepare the panel

Sift the chickpea flour 1.

Place the sifted chickpea flour in a large bowl 2.

Start pouring in the water, stirring with a whisk 3.

As you add the water, mix it thoroughly with a whisk to avoid lumps forming 4.

Pour in all the water and, at the end, the dough should have a very liquid consistency 5.

Add salt 6 and mix with a whisk.

Pour the panelle batter into a saucepan seven.

Transfer the pan to low heat and whisk continuously 8.

The mixture slowly begins to thicken 9.

Start mixing with a wooden spoon ten.

Gradually it will begin to detach itself from the walls 11.

Add chopped parsley 12.

Stir again for a few minutes until it starts to simmer 13.

Remove from the heat and pour the panelle batter onto a sheet of parchment paper. Level with a smooth trowel to evenly distribute the compound which should be about 5mm thick 14.

Let cool to room temperature 15.

Cut out the panelle using a cookie cutter or a rectangular cookie cutter 16.

Carefully remove the panel from the parchment paper 17.

The panel must be compact, without lumps and 5 mm thick 18.

Fry the panelle in boiling oil for about 2 minutes without turning them 19.

Drain the panelle with a perforated spatula 20.

Place the panel on a plate with absorbent paper towel 21.

For the baked version, place the panelle on the baking sheet instead, lined with parchment paper 22. Bake at 200°C for about 15 minutes and another 2 minutes with the grill function.

Remove the panel 23.

The fried and cooked panelle are ready to be enjoyed 24.

Cut a crispy and fragrant Sicilian mafalda in half lengthwise 25.

Open the sandwich 26.

Arrange three fried or baked pancakes on one half according to your taste 27.

Squeeze the lemon on the panel 28.

Close with the other half of the sandwich 29.

Serve the hot panel 30.

Tips

The panel can be laid directly on the work surface, marble or steel, with a spatula: take a little dough at a time and create thin and superimposed layers, then cut out rectangles with a sharp knife or a tarot. The dough waste then they do not have to be mixed again, but can be fried to obtain the typical “rascature” of Palermo.

History and curiosity

The panelle were introduced in Sicily thanks to the Arabduring their long domination: they were the ones who ground the chickpea seeds to obtain a flour which, mixed with water and then cooked, gave life to a paste similar to polenta. Early panelle were baked on stone in upright ovens, typically used to bake flatbreads, typical of Middle Eastern cuisine. In the Middle Ages, however, they began to fry them.

storage

The panelle must be eaten very hot freshly fried Or take them out of the oven.