Panelle facts for kids
Panelle (pronounced pah-NEL-leh) are delicious fried snacks from Sicily, a large island in Italy. They are like thin, flat fritters made from chickpea flour. Chickpea flour is a special flour made by grinding chickpeas into a fine powder. Panelle are a very popular street food in the city of Palermo, Sicily. People often eat them inside a bread roll, just like a sandwich.
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What are Panelle?
Panelle are a simple but tasty treat. They are made by mixing chickpea flour with water and sometimes a little parsley. This mixture is cooked until it becomes a thick paste. Then, it is spread out very thinly and cut into small shapes. These pieces are then deep-fried until they are golden and crispy.
A Snack on the Go
In Sicily, especially in Palermo, you can find panelle sold by street vendors. They are a quick and easy snack to eat while walking around. Most often, panelle are served hot, tucked inside a soft bread roll. This makes a delicious and filling sandwich.
Panelle Around the World
Panelle are very similar to another dish called panisse, which comes from Nice, a city in France. Both are made from chickpea flour and are fried. This shows how different cultures can have similar yummy foods!
Panelle in America
Panelle have also become very popular in the United States, especially among people of Sicilian heritage. In Brooklyn, New York City, you can find panelle sandwiches in neighborhoods like Gravesend, Brooklyn and Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. In Brooklyn, some people like to add creamy ricotta cheese to their panelle sandwiches. They often serve them on a special Sicilian bread called vastedda.
The Name Panelle
In the Sicilian language, these fritters are called paneddi. The word panelle is the plural form in Italian, meaning "many fritters." If you are talking about just one of these fried snacks, it is called a panella.
