Lentil Panelle

Panelle is a fried chickpea fritter from Sicily, commonly served as street food in Palermo. It likely emerged when the island was under Arab rule between the 9th & 11th century. This was a period that brought many foods to the island we now consider traditionally Sicilian like lemons, garbanzo beans, and eggplant.

I adapted the basic idea of panelle to work better for my body by swapping chickpea flour for soaked lentils, and frying for baking. My ancestors might be rolling in the dirt with my adaptation, but I like to imagine this is what it looks like to keep an ancestral inheritance alive. I want pleasure from my ancestral foods, not gas, bloating, and pain.

A Note About Legumes Before We Begin

This recipe is based on soaked dry lentils. Canned lentils or other beans won’t work for this and neither will completely dry beans.

The reason I opted for soaked dry beans is because bulk dry beans are often the most affordable way to purchase legumes, and soaking them before cooking makes them easier to digest—reducing gas.

How to Soak Lentils

• In a bowl or bean pot, cover your desired amount of lentils water that rises 2 in above the beans. I also like to add roughly 1/2 tbsp fine salt and a capful of apple cider vinegar when soaking. The vinegar isn’t essential so no need to go out of your way for it.

• Place your bowl/pot in the fridge.
  If soaking for multiple days, strain the beans and add fresh water every 24 hours.

• If you drink/cook with filtered water, soak your beans with filtered water too. You can save the water you strain off to water outdoor plants.
  

Kitchen Tools

• Blender

• 8 in cast iron pan

• Oven

• Measuring Cup

• Mixing Bowl
  

Ingredients

The Essentials:

• 1 cup pre-soaked lentils (how to soak legumes above ^)

• 1/2 cup filtered water

• Roughly 1 TBSP olive, coconut, or avocado oil

Optional Add-Ins:

• Swap your water for broth or herbal tea (like nettle to boost iron)

• Herbs/flavoring within batter or sprinkled on top

  some options to consider:
  • like Sicilian Panelle—with parsley mixed in, served on a crusty bun with a squirt of citrus
  • garlic & rosemary
  • black sesame seeds
  • hemp seeds
  • Indian spices like cumin, turmeric, garam masala , fennel, anise, ginger, mustard seed
  • Thai flavors like lemongrass, coriander, chili
  • kelp granules

  
  Toppings:
  • nut cheese like cashew cream
  • cheese
  • pickled onion
  • tomato sauce
  • pesto

The Process

Before you begin: soak your lentils at least overnight.

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F/220°C. Place your cast iron pan on the top rack of your oven and let it get hot as the oven warms.

2. Strain & measure your soaked lentils.

3. Blend your liquid of choice and the lentils until smooth.The batter will be thin and easy to pour.
   Add any flavoring you’d like in the flatbread at this point.

4. Once the oven reaches temp and your cast iron pan is hot, pull the pan from the oven and add oil of choice.
   The pan should be hot enough to melt the oil if its solid. Swirl the oil around so it’s evenly coating the bottom of the pan.

5. Pour the blended batter into the hot pan. Sprinkle with herbs/salt/pepper.
   You’ll hear a crackle sound as the batter hits the hot pan. This will create a slightly crunchy crust. Tilt the pan to make sure the batter is evenly spread.

6. Bake 10-12 minutes until the flatbread is firm.

7. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack with a spatula.

8. Once cooled, enjoy!
   Try it Sicilian street style, called pane e panelle, on a crusty roll with a squeeze of citrus.