Panelle are Sicilian fritters. From such humble ingredients, you'll find its deliciousness amazing. Panelle is part of cucina povera or poor man's kitchen, alluding to the inexpensive nature of the ingredients. The main ingredient in panelle is chickpea flour. Find it in the organic or health food section of your grocery store.
Panelle hails from southern Italy, mainly Palermo where according to our friend Tony-a Sicilian, street vendors do brisk business selling panelle. Sometimes, it's a sandwich. I enjoy it with arugula salad drizzled with balsamic and topped with pieces of Parmigianno Regiano. Add a nice glass of Chianti and it's a perfect meal.
Our friend Tony shared his panelle recipe. We are eternally grateful. Panelle is deep-fried so it's not what you would call "health food." But my philosophy is to enjoy all things in moderation. The perfect panelle is sliced thin and has a nice crunch and a soft interior.
Panelle history
As far as the origins, I was not able to find much. It's believed that panelle was introduced by the Arabs, who dominated the area between the 9th and the 11th century. In a previous post I mentioned that garbanzo beans (chickpeas) originated in the Middle East. In Sicily people enjoy panelle with a squeeze of lemon, another Arab import. You can also add extra wow to this chickpea flour recipe by topping it with fresh herbs such as parsley.
Making panelle step by step
Making panelle is not time consuming or difficult. Some chefs in big cities are even experimenting with chickpea "French fries" more to come on that one once I learn the process.
- Gather your ingredients and have them measured and ready to go.
- Lightly grease a 9 inch loaf pan. Heat a 2 quart sauce pan on medium heat and add the salt. When the water starts to get warm slow add the chickpea flour stirring continuously.
- Add the pepper and continue stirring and the dough will be somewhat sticky when fully combined.
- Place the dough in the loaf pan and flatten out the top with a spatula. Chill the dough for 2 hours until firm.
- Invert the loaf pan and drop out the loaf. Slice into ¼ inch pieces.
- Fry in 350°F oil for about 2 minutes on each side until golden brown.
Frequently asked questions:
- Can I freeze panelle? Yes, it would be best to freeze the dough. Wrap the dough tightly in freezer paper and it will store nicely for up to two months. Thaw completely overnight in the refrigerator. The fried panelle is best eaten fresh and crisp. I don't recommend trying to store the fried panelle in the freezer as it will not have the best texture when reheated.
- How do I serve panelle? It is common to serve panelle with a squeeze of lemon or place the slices between bread and eat like a sandwich. I like mine with a little grated cheese on top.
If you want to explore some other Italian dishes here are a few of my favorites that are a little less commonplace and so good! Frico is a rustic dish made with potato, onion and lots of Parmesan cheese. These simple ingredients come together in one fabulous dish. Blueberry crostata easy recipe that is great to make during berry season! The dough comes together quickly and this can be ready for a picnic or gathering fast. If you want a little spicy and savory flavor try this orecchiette with shrimp, fennel and arugula.
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Panelle - Sicilian Fried Chickpea Fritters Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups chickpea flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 ½ cups water
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 1 Tbsp curly parsley fresh, chopped, optional
- Oil for frying
- Fresh grated Parmigiano Regiano
Instructions
Prepare the dough:
- Lightly grease one 9" loaf pan.
- Place a 2 qt.sauce pan over medium heat and add the salt. When the water starts to get warm, slowly add the chickpea flour, stirring constantly and scraping the sides.
- Continue stirring until all the flour has been incorporated into the water. Add the pepper and stir in. The dough will be somewhat sticky.
- Place the dough into the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top with a spatula by running it across the top of the dough( lengthwise).
- Refrigerate until cool (about 2 hours).
Frying the panelle:
- Remove from fridge and invert onto a cutting board. With a chef's knife slowly cut the panelle dough into thin (¼") slices.
- Fry in 350° F oil for about 2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Sprinkle with fresh grated Parmigiano Regiano and chopped parsley (if desired).
Nutrition
Originally published April 2014 and updated June 2020.
Laura @MotherWouldKnow
I had the most amazing chick pea fries a while back and when I was trying to recreate them, it never occurred to me that they might be a take-off on a traditional Italian dish. Wow! I bought the chick pea flour and never used it, so now I know just what I'll do with it. Thanks Analida
Analida
Hi Laura! I am so glad you can use the rest of the chickpea flour. I love panelle, it is so good!!!
Have a great day.
Marissa @ OMG FOOD
For someone who loves chickpeas, I have yet to cook with the flour. I need to get on that and make these fritters; I will probably eat the whole batch. 🙂
Analida
🙂 sometimes it's hard for me not to eat the whole batch.
Alex
I'll have to look around for chickpea flour, I'd really love to try these. So pinned for later 😉
Analida
Alex, usually an organic or health food market would carry it. You might be able to buy it online. The brand name I buy is Bob's Red Mill.
Tiffany
Hi, Analida ~ This looks very tasty, and I loved hearing the stories from your friend, Tony! How fun to have someone you can go to with your questions and who will introduce you to new foods. Thanks for sharing with us the Merry Monday Link Party! Hope to see you again on Sunday night for another rockin' party! :0)
Analida
Hi Tiffany! thanks for commenting. I will be coming to the party.
Take care,
Analida
Denise Wright
Sounds delicious! I made a batter with chickpea flour and fried something last year. I can't remember what it was but I remember it was really good. I bet it has a similar taste. Chick peas are so tasty as is. Can't wait to try this.
Analida
Yes, chickpeas are super tasty! I think what you made was probably pretty similar to the panelle I made
Rosar
Hi Amelia, you're right about most panelle history being speculative beyond what you shared here. Just an addition to your info, in Palermo caciocavallo (cheese) is pretty typical on panelle. It's local and the strong flavor works nicely with the panelle. Also, in Brooklyn they make a panelle sandwich with ricotta and parmigiano reggiano grattugiato on top.
Sue Moscato
In Sicily, what oil do they use to fry these? Thank you in advance.
Analida
Hi Sue, this is a street food and they would not go to the expense of using an olive oil. A good quality vegetable oil is typically used.
Dayna
When I was a child I went to school near “little Italy” in Windsor Ontario. I use to frequent Cafe Sicilia where my friends mom use to work. We use to enjoy these there as well as aranchini. I’ve been looking for a recipe like this for sometime now and I’m so excited to make this today! I started already by making my own chickpea flour by grinding down chickpeas in my food processor since my local grocery store didn’t have chickpea flour. I’m going to serve it with some homemade marinara sauce that I made for pasta a while back and froze, along with a side salad. Thanks for this recipe! My only concern is that I don’t really have an appropriate pan to set it in but I’ll use what I have and hope for the best! Thanks again!