Social-Feeds-Cookbook-2016

PanelLE
By @louisebgigovic
Cooking difficulty: medium
50 minutes
Makes 30 – 40 panelle
Maker’s note
“This recipe for chickpea fritters (panelle) adds some summer freshness to a traditional
street food originating from Palermo with readily available Victorian produce.”
“Mamma Lucia Ricotta (Weston St,
Brunswick), produce from garden or
Melbourne Farmer’s Markets, Cobram
Estate EVOO.”
Ingredients
Method
½ cup European style yoghurt
1 bunch basil
1 large ripe tomato, diced
Red wine vinegar
200g chickpea flour
500ml water
½ cup ricotta
Extra virgin olive oil
Lemon wedges
Salt and pepper
For the basil yoghurt, blend the yoghurt and a generous handful of basil in a food
processor until light green in colour and only specks of the basil remain. Transfer to a
container and refrigerate.
For the tomato salsa, blend ¼ cup of olive oil and a small handful of basil; add salt and
vinegar to taste. Transfer to a dish, stir through tomatoes and set aside.
For the panelle, salt the water with two tsp of salt. Put the chickpea flour and a
pinch of ground pepper into a medium saucepan and whisk in the cold water a
little at a time to avoid lumps.
Cook over a low flame for 15 minutes, whisking continuously. If whisking becomes
difficult after the mixture has become quite thick stir with a wooden spoon.
It is vital to work quickly at this point. Transfer mixture to an oiled work surface
such as marble or laminate (in absence of these use plates) and spread it as thinly as
possible using a wet spatula and allow to completely cool. Cut away the messy edges
with a knife and then cut the dough into squares, then triangles.
To fry the panelle, pour enough extra virgin olive oil in a heavy skillet to cover the
bottom with 2 to 3cm of oil, and set over medium heat. When the oil is hot, fry the
panelle in batches until both sides are crisp and golden; about 2 minutes on either
side. Transfer to paper towels and lightly salt the panelle as you go.
Arrange on a large platter with lemon wedges, or smaller plates for individual
servings, and scatter the tomato salsa, ricotta and basil yoghurt over the top.
40
Panelle are best served hot but if you are not eating them immediately serve
accompaniments on the side so they remain crisp.