Tonight I made panelle, a staple from Palermo made with chickpea flour, water and salt. They're usually served in bread rolls with lemon juice and eaten hot. We served ours piping hot with lemon juice.
The traditional method involves stirring the mixture on the stove for about 30 minutes. I changed the method a bit, as I wasn't keen to stand that long. I mixed the flour with a small amount of cold water, then added boiling water gradually while whisking. When the mixture thickened to a paste-like consistency, I reduced the heat to 1 out of 9 (induction hob), covered the pot, and let it cook for 20 minutes with the lid on. After that, it was ready to be poured into a tray to cool before cutting and frying. I also tossed some parsley and Thai basil into the frying oil for flavour.
Serves: 4–12, depending on what else you’re eating.
Ingredients:
Chickpea flour, 400 g
Water, 1.8-2.2 litres (use your dynamic capabilities, if too stif, add more water)
Sea salt, 1 teaspoon or less
Oil for frying
(Optional) 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
Method:
Dissolve the flour in cold water gradually so no lumps remain; a blender helps. Add the salt and bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Cook for about 30 minutes until the mixture is smooth and thick.
Pour the hot mixture onto a lightly oiled surface or tray and spread it to a uniform thickness of about half a centimetre. Let it cool completely. Then cut into rectangles and refrigerate (or rest the tray on ice packs) to firm up.
Heat plenty of oil in a frying pan. Deep-fry the fritters until golden brown. Serve piping hot.
(Optional) You can stir parsley into the batter or simply sprinkle with lemon juice when serving.
Chickpea flour is used in many food traditions, but the methods vary. In Ligurian cuisine, there’s panissa (or paniscia), a close cousin of panelle, also made from chickpea flour and fried.
In India, the approach is completely different. Chickpea flour (besan) is rarely cooked into a thick paste that sets into a solid block. Instead, it’s used in batters (pakoras), steamed snacks like khandvi and dhokla, or dry stir-fries such as zunka. While the ingredient is shared, the textures, flavours and techniques are not. I know many Indian women (expatriates in Finland) who prepare delicious pakoras – crisp, spiced, and always worth eating.