Panelle Recipe (Sicilian Chickpea Fritters)

Freshly cooked panelle from Palermo, served with a dustingg of ground black pepper.

5 from 1 vote

Panelle Recipe (Sicilian Chickpea Fritters)

Panelle or Sicilian Chickpea Fritters is a popular Palermo street food that you can easily prepare at home. Excellent as an appetizer, a snack, or for making your own panelle sandwich --- hot, crispy and delicious!

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Resting Time1 30

Total Time2 30

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Calories: 376kcal

Author: Neriz

Equipment

Ingredients

2 cups chickpea flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper, (plus more for serving)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped, (plus more for serving)
2/3 cup oil, for frying
lemon, for serving (optional)

Instructions

Preparing panelle:

Using a medium-sized pan, combine salt and 3 cups of water.
Add chickpea flour and whisk until there are no lumps.
Place the pan over medium-high heat and keep whisking.
After 3 minutes, add the ground black pepper and continue whisking.
Wait for about 4 more minutes, and you will start seeing it thicken. Test this by lifting your whisk, and you will see bits attached to it.
Adjust heat to medium-low and continue mixing for 9 more minutes. You can switch to a wooden spoon or spatula anytime from this point on because the whisk is not sturdy enough to handle the dough.
Take the saucepan off the heat and add the chopped parsley.
Mix, then transfer your panelle into a loaf tin.
Use your hand to flatten the top of the mixture while gently pressing.
Set the tin aside, uncovered to cool and solidify -- at least sixty to ninety minutes. (Room temperature is sufficient.)

Frying & Serving Sicilian chickpea fritters:

When the dough is ready, turn the loaf tin over to remove it.
Cut into half, then quarter, and then slice into about 1/2-centimeter thick and slice across to cut a triangle.
Using a saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat.
Once the oil is ready, start frying the chickpea fritters, placing them on top of kitchen paper after to drain any excess oil.
Serve your panelle with a squeeze of lemon and a dash of ground black pepper --- they're best when warm!

Panelle sandwich recipe:

Slice a bun or a bread roll in half and add one layer of panelle on the bun's lower part.
Add a dash of ground black pepper and fresh parsley, then add another layer of chickpea fritters --- repeating it for at least three layers.
On the top layer, squeeze some fresh lemon on the panelle and cover with the top bun.
Serve.

Video

Notes

Cook's Tip #1: No need to refrigerate the dough when cooling it.Setting it aside at room temperature is enough, even makes it drier since there is no extra moisture from the cold.
Cook's Tip #2: Feel free to cut it in any shape you want. But try to keep it no less than half a centimeter thick, or it might be a bit of a challenge to handle during frying.
Cook's Tip #3: You can use a rectangular baking tray (sheet tray) to flatten the dough instead of a loaf tin.It cools it faster, but you have to be quick in flattening the dough before it becomes hard.
FAQ #1: You can prepare it in advance and keep the panelle dough in the refrigerator for no more than 24 hours, but do not cover it once it's in the fridge.
FAQ #2: Reheating it will turn it soggy; panelle should be eaten straight out of the fryer!

Nutrition