Panisse

Panisse is Marseille’s and Nice’s beloved chickpea-flour preparation—a set polenta of chickpea flour that is sliced and fried until golden and crisp outside, creamy and soft within. Where socca is a batter baked thin, panisse is a thick porridge that sets firm, making it a fundamentally different preparation from the same base ingredient. The technique mirrors that of polenta or gnocchi alla Romana: 250g chickpea flour is whisked into 1 litre of cold water with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and salt, then cooked over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for 15-20 minutes until the mixture thickens to a dense, smooth paste that pulls away from the sides of the pan. The hot mixture is immediately poured into oiled shallow moulds—traditionally round plates or rectangular tins—to a depth of 1-1.5cm and left to set for at least 2 hours at room temperature, or until firm enough to slice cleanly. The set panisse is then cut into batons (like thick chips), rounds, or triangles, and fried in olive oil at 180°C until deeply golden and crisp on all surfaces. The interior should remain creamy, almost custardy, providing a contrast with the shatteringly crisp exterior. In Marseille, panisse is sold by street vendors in paper cones, seasoned with nothing more than salt and pepper. In Nice, it accompanies aperitifs or replaces bread alongside stews and braises. The key technical challenge is achieving the right consistency during the initial cooking—too thin and it won’t set firmly enough to fry without breaking; too thick and the interior becomes dense and stodgy rather than creamy.