PANELLE

      Panelle is one of my all time favorite snacks. I eat it everyday when I visit Sicily in the summer. Its a fried chick pea fritter usually served on fresh Italian bread. Not many places in New York make it but two of the few places you can get panelle is Bar Matchless in Greenpoint and the infamous Ferdinando's in Redhook. I have not tried either yet. 

      I made it for my Italian class party. Its pretty easy to prepare. You basically boil chick pea flour as if its porridge. Once its really thick you take it off the flame and add some parsley, salt and lemon juice and pour it into a greased mold. I use a water bottle with both ends cut off for the mold. Let it cool then slice and fry in canola oil.

Panelle

1 lb. chick pea flour (also called garbanzo bean or cece flour)

1.5 Liters of Water

Salt

Fresh Lemon Juice

Chopped Parsley

Boil the water. Add the chick pea flour slowly stirring constantly. Lower the heat if it starts to boil over. Keep boiling until its thick. Keep stirring. Once it pulls from the side of the pot, season with salt, fresh lemon juice and chopped parsley. Pour the paste into a greased mold. Cooking spray works best. For the mold cut off the ends of the 1.5 Liter water bottle standing on one end. Push it down so its tightly in there. Let the panelle paste cool for a few hours in the fridge standing the bottle upright. Once its cool remove it from the mold and cut into thin slices. Fry in canola or gemma oil and season with salt. Serve on Italian bread.