Rosa's Cookbook

Recipes from Rosa's Cookbook

Panelle

This is the dish that, in my innocence, I imagined could bring my grandpa, Nonno Fiore, back to life.  I remember clambering onto the table where his body was laid out, and spooning the freshly fried panelle into his mouth.  Then I sat and waited a long time for him to start breathing again. 

Note: if you are trying to resuscitate a corpse listen to me, feeding it Panelle doesn’t work: Nonno Fiore stayed dead.

I also made a dish of panelle to calm my nerves after the trauma of delivering my three beautiful nieces after my sister-in-law Biancamaria Ossobucco went into premature labor.

You will need:  

2 cups chick pea flour  
3 cups water  
Some herbs (either fresh basil leaves, roughly torn, or parsley)  
Salt and pepper  
Corn oil to fry

Put the flour in a pan and gradually stir in the water making sure there are no lumps.  Season and add the herbs then cook until the mixture thickens. 

Remove from the heat and pour onto a cold surface trying to keep it rectangular in shape and about as thick as a finger.  When cool cut into squares and deep fry until golden.  Serve at once.  Delicious