If you find yourself in Liguria and order panissa, you’ll be treated to a delectable street snack. Like many traditional dishes, Ligurian panissa began as a simple yet hearty meal, evolving into today’s delicious street food and perfect as an appetizer as well.
Incredibly flavorful, Ligurian panissa is similar in taste to farinata: it is made with chickpea flour and water (without any oil in the mixture) and can be enjoyed cold or fried into crispy bites. This humble yet delightful dish consistently wins over palates with its simple and genuine flavor. Best of all, it is easy to prepare. However, the preparation time is somewhat lengthy: 20 minutes to mix the ingredients, 1 hour and 30 minutes for cooking, and 2 hours to let the mixture set. A similar dish with a different twist is the famous Sicilian panelle.
Ingredients (for 4 people)
- 300 g chickpea flour
- 1 liter water
- 5 g fine salt
- 700 ml peanut oil (for frying)
- Black pepper to taste
Cooking Process
- To prepare Ligurian panissa, begin by sifting the chickpea flour into a large bowl. Add the salt and pepper, then gradually pour in the water while whisking the flour to avoid forming lumps.
- Once all the water is added and the mixture is smooth, transfer it to a saucepan (ideally a copper pot, but a stainless steel one will work as well). Cook the mixture over very low heat, stirring continuously with the whisk until it thickens. At this point, switch to a wooden spoon and continue stirring until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pot. This will take about 80 minutes.
- When cooking is complete, oil a 23 cm x 10 cm rectangular mold (such as a loaf pan) and pour the cooked mixture into it. Press and level the surface with the back of a spoon. Once the mixture has cooled, cover the mold with plastic wrap and let it set in the refrigerator for about 2 hours.
- After the resting time, invert the mold onto a cutting board, remove the panissa (it should be firm), and cut it as you prefer: into slices, or even into cubes.
- Now it’s time to fry: heat the peanut oil in a pot, and when it reaches 170°C, immerse the panissa cubes for about 5 minutes or until they are golden brown. Drain the fried panissa with a slotted spoon and transfer it to a tray lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil. Your Ligurian panissa is reday, buon appetito!
Tips
If you prefer, you can skip the frying step: panissa is a dish that can also be enjoyed unfried, sliced, and served with fresh scallions and cheese.
Unfried Ligurian panissa can be stored in the covered mold in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days. You can also freeze it. However, if you choose to fry it, it’s best to consume it immediately, and freezing is not recommended.