Panino con la Milza

History

The pani câ meusa — Sicilian dialect for 'bread with spleen' — is one of the oldest street foods in Palermo, with roots stretching back to the Jewish community of medieval Sicily, who sold offal (the parts of the animal they could not eat under kosher law) to the city's poor. The spleen and lung are slow-braised in lard, piled into a soft sesame-seeded mafaldina roll, and served either 'schetto' (plain) or 'maritato' (married) with a squeeze of lemon and a scraping of fresh ricotta or caciocavallo cheese. It is sold from street carts called 'meusari' near the Ballarò and Vucciria markets and remains one of Palermo's most iconic and beloved street foods.

Ingredients

• Soft sesame-seeded mafaldina roll
• Beef spleen
• Beef lung
• Lard (for braising)
• Fresh ricotta or caciocavallo cheese
• Lemon

How to Make

1. 1Slice the beef spleen and lung into thin strips.
2. 2Slow-braise in lard over low heat until tender and cooked through.
3. 3Split a soft sesame mafaldina roll.
4. 4Pile the braised meat generously into the roll.
5. 5Top with a spoonful of fresh ricotta or a scraping of caciocavallo ('maritato' style), or serve plain ('schetto').
6. 6Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon and serve immediately.

Known for it

• Ancient Saint Francis Focaccia ShopV. Alessandro Paternostro, 58, 90133 Palermo PA, Italy