Panelle is the Sicilian street food made from chickpea flour and typically served in a sesame roll.
Panelle are thin fritters prepared by cooking chickpea flour with water and salt until it forms a stiff mixture. The mixture is spread out, cooled, cut into rectangles or squares, and fried. In Palermo, panelle are commonly eaten inside a sesame-covered bread roll, sometimes with lemon juice.
The dish reflects Sicily’s long history of Mediterranean exchange. Chickpeas and chickpea flour have been important foods around the island, while the preparation is often linked to Arab influence during the period of Muslim rule in Sicily. Panelle are especially associated with Palermo and are sold by street-food vendors and bakeries.
Panelle are sometimes confused with arancini, another famous Sicilian snack. Arancini are stuffed rice balls that are usually shaped, coated, and fried; panelle are chickpea-flour fritters. Crocchè, meanwhile, are potato croquettes. These foods may be served together in Palermo, but they are distinct preparations.