Papa Perrone Brings Back Panelle Sandwiches Today

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Way back in November, Papa Perrone started testing out panelle sandwiches (chickpea fritters on crusty bread with ricotta cheese, and parm). I braved the rain and cold to seek one out and dutifully wrote it up for a post. I waited to schedule the review until they offered it again. I waited and waited and waited. Finally last night, I noticed via the ML Twitter Tracker that they were planning on serving up panelle today, so without further ado, here’s your first look at the this traditional dish.

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I didn’t grow up eating Panelle (it’s apparently a classic Sicilian dish and I’m Southern Italian), but the guy on the truck–I’m presuming Papa P himself, said that they serve it up as a sandwich at focacciarias and that he’s had more than a few customers ask for it specifically. Apparently it’s also a popular street food in Palermo (at least according to wikipedia).

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The sandwich consists of a square fritter made from chickpea flour about the size of a filet o’ fish patty, an a generous amount of whole milk ricotta, and grated Parmesan on a crusty seeded roll. Papa Perrone put the sandwich in the oven briefly to warm it up. By the time I got back to the office the sandwich had gotten cold (stupid cold weather, stupid subway ride). Sad. I imagine it would have been better hot out of the oven. And better still if the patty could have been crispy and fresh.

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The cheese stole the show–really there’s nothing that whole milk ricotta and Parm can’t make better. The day I got the sandwich was the very first day he was offering it and he said he expected he’d be making some tweaks and bringing it out again soon (which I guess was code for “in six months”!) Anyway, I love when trucks mix up their menu with specials and I’m glad to see this sandwich back in the mix. The panelle is available today from the Papa Perrone Truck, which normally parks on 55th btw. Park+Madison, but you’ll probably want to check their twitter or the ML Twitter Tracker just to be safe.

7 Comments

  • If I’m not mistaken, it’s supposed to be Ricotta & Cacciocovallo cheese, not Parmesan. However, aint nuttin wrong wit Parmesan!

  • Parmigiano-Reggiano is the king of all hard cheeses, made exclusively in Italy from raw mik.

    Parmesan is a sad bastardization made by companies like Kraft, and involes all kinds of chemicals and tastes (to me) like salty wax.

    I would think that Pappa Perrone uses the real deal (or something similar like Grana Padano) and calls it “grated cheese”. Can anyone confirm?

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    Papa P via twitter: “We use the parmigiano reggiano which is used in places like fernandos and joes of ave u.”

    He also called it “grated cheese” in his previous post.

  • He had me at “Fernando’s”. I used to gorge myself on their Panelle 20 years ago when I lived in Carroll Gardens. Is it still there?

  • That would be “FERDINANDO’S” for those google searchers and Papa P himself…and I’m pretty sure its still there where its been for now over 100 years.

    I’ve had many panelle specials and this one looks about as authentic a Ferdinando’s replica as it gets!

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    I have never seen a panelle patty like that. Nonna has always made panelle in thin slices and fries them until crispy then piles them onto the bread.

  • Even if the sandwich isn’t great, John Paul is a fantastic vendor and a real character. I need to make the trek over there.

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