Panisse Sandwich

Today, I’m talking about panisse, crispy fried chickpea slices traditional to Provence. What to the French is probably greasy pub food, to me seems like a sophisticated hour d’ourve. Even the name panisse recalls images of dainty napkins and upturned pinkies. I’d like to think this is not all in my head, though, and that panisse is actually a better lighter version of American fried finger food. While appetizers like onion rings tend to feel heavy because of breading, panisse sits light, with a smooth interior reminiscent of polenta.

Of course, I couldn’t just make plain old panisse. This would not be complete without a bun and avocado. Inspired by the many tempeh burger incarnations I enjoyed in Bali, I decided to spike my panisse with sautéed mushrooms and kale and serve it burger style. The crispy fried exterior of panisse lends itself well to burger form. Don’t be afraid to embellish this recipe with your own favorite burger toppings. I’ll be adding tomatoes and pickles next time around.

Panisse Burger Recipe

6 burger buns
1/2 head cabbage, sliced
2 avocados, sliced
1 tablespoon mustard
6 squares panisse

Toast the burger buns. On each, slather with mustard and stack panisse, cabbage and avocado.

Panisse Recipe

1 head kale, stems removed and sliced
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
3 scallions, sliced
1 liter water
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoons salt
2 1/4 cups chickpea flour (homemade if available)
olive oil, for frying

Lightly oil a nine inch square pan. Saute the kale, mushrooms and scallions in a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat for about 10 minutes.

Over medium high heat, warm a tablespoon of olive oil, water, and salt in a saucepan. Before the water boils, add the chickpea flour.

With a wooden spoon, stir for 3-5 minutes, until the clumps have more or less mixed in. Now comes the hard part. For the next 10 minutes, stir constantly, until the batter becomes very thick. This is an arm workout. You’ve been warmed.

Pour the batter into the square dish and mix in the sautéed vegetables. Let cool for about an hour. Flip onto a place and cut into six even rectangles.

In a cast iron skillet, heat 1/4 inch of olive oil. Fry the panisse burgers, browning them on each side.

Remove and drain on paper towels. Serve warm. Enjoy!