A Different Kind of Sandwich

One of my favorite things to eat in Sicily is panelle and cazzilli stuffed in a seasame seed bun (pictured). Panelle are flat chickpea-flour fritters made with fresh parsley, lemon juice, salt, and olive oil. Cazzilli, which is a vulgar way of saying “little penises,” are potato croquettes made with mashed potatoes, fresh parsley (or…

Take It Home. Fry It Up.

I love when guests from our Experience Sicily tours take Sicily home with them and extend their trips with reading more about the culture, listening to the music, watching classic films set on the island, and cooking the cuisine for months after they return. That’s what we set out to do! Tonight I had the…

Cazzilli: If Panelle Had Siblings

If panelle (chickpea fritters, a specialty of Palermo) had siblings, cazzilli would be panelle’s brothers and sisters. Cazzilli are potato croquettes. They fall into the street-food category of Palermitano cuisine. You can eat them with your fingers or together with panelle, they are often paired inside a sesame seed bun sprinkled with lemon juice and…

Panelle: Slices of Gold

Panelle are chickpea-flour fritters made with fresh parsley, lemon juice, salt, and olive oil. They are particular to the Palermo region and are eaten as finger food or inside a bun for a panino. Yum. We’ll be eating panelle and more streetfood in Palermo’s open-air markets on Day 13 of September’s Enchanting Sicily small-group tour….

Does It Make Me Palermitana?

Today we were in Palermo, and we experienced StrEAT Tour Palermo. Here I am with our magnificent host and guide Marco. I am stuffed after eating arancine, panelle e cazzilli, sfincione, pane ca’ meusa (yes, I ate the infamous Palermitano spleen sandwich!!), and gelato con brioche, and drinking local “sangue” wine (blood). Oh, my. At…

Since 1834, Palermitani from all walks of life have savored the dishes offered by Antica Focacceria San Francesco, a 5th generation, family-run establishment in the center of Palermo. Its name is deceptive: focaccia is only one of this gastronomic hub’s specialties. I usually fill my tray with arancine, panelle, cazzilli di patate, sfinciuni, and other…

Panelle are particular to Palermo. They are fritters made with chickpea flour, fresh parsley, lemon juice, salt, and olive oil. Eat them with your fingers or as a panino. Oh my. #sicily #sicily_travel #sicilia #sicily_tourism #palermo #panelle #chickpeas #fingerfood