Panelle - Fried Chickpea Fritters
Super easy and quick snacking with this one. You do need a little chilling time, but then you are good to fry on demand. Cue the salt and lemon juice.
Sicilian panelle are crispy, golden chickpea fritters that have been a beloved street food in Palermo for centuries. Made from simple ingredients—chickpea flour, water, and seasonings—these fritters are traditionally deep-fried and served in a soft bread roll, creating the famous pane e panelle, a popular Sicilian sandwich. Panelle dates back to Arab rule in Sicily (9th-11th century) when chickpeas were widely used in Mediterranean cooking. Today, these fritters remain a staple of Sicilian street food, enjoyed as a snack, appetiser, or even a light meal. With a Thermomix, you can easily make panelle at home, achieving the perfect smooth batter and crispy texture with minimal effort. Try this authentic panelle recipe for a taste of Sicily’s rich culinary history in your own kitchen!
I did not get to Palermo on my initial visit to Sicily, but I plan to remedy that as soon as possible! I love how very regional all food is in Europe, and then go to Sicily and it is regional times 100! There are literally different recipes that are town-centric...this is an example. Apparently the real deal are not as crispy or crunchy as my version...but it is hard to go past all the fried goodness isn't it?
Be warned, as delicious as these are, and hard to resist, if you eat too many, you will falafel! #sorrynotsorry
We do love a fritter or two on this site. Make sure you check out some of our other recipes:
Pumpkin, Pea and Haloumi Fritters
Need
- 300 Grams chickpea flour (besan)
- 600 Grams water
- 2 generous Pinches pink salt flakes plus more for serving BUY
- 2 Teaspoons fennel seeds (optional)
- 1 Handful flat leaf parsley chopped
- fresh lemon juice as needed
- 40 Grams parmesan cheese finely milled to serve
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) for frying BUY
Do
- 1
Place chickpea flour, water and salt into the Thermomix bowl and cook 15 min/100°C/speed 4. Add the fennel seeds in the last few seconds to combine.
- 2
Spread thinly onto a lined baking tray and cool to room temperature before transferring to the freezer for about 20-30 minutes.
- 3
When you can easily cut the mixture into squares without sticking, preheat a frying pan with a shallow amount of EVOO to a medium high heat.
- 4
Fry the squares a few at a time until golden on both sides. You may need to return the uncooked mixture to the freezer as it becomes quite soft.
- 5
Drain on paper towels and serve immediately with plenty of salt, chopped parsley, lemon juice and parmesan cheese if using.
- 6
It is traditional to serve these in a sandwich but I personally love them hot and crunchy and salty straight from the pan. They are hard to resist.
Tenina Holder is a wife, mother of five and grandmother of eight, who started cooking in the olden days before Thermomix was even a thing.
Tenina has become the premium go to source for all Thermomix expertise and of course fresh and easy recipes that work. Her cooking classes and foodie trips are sold out in literally hours, her cookbooks appear on the Australian best seller lists and her social reach is in the millions. Her Insider Club is the most fun you can have with a Thermomix and you really should join her! She believes chocolate, butter and salt are health foods. Her food positivity mantra is, eat everything, just not all at once!
