June 22, 2021

The Panelle Sandwich is back!

Warm pita, lemon mayo, custardy crisp panelle, fennel-olive-orange salad. Eat it at Clover, or make it at home. Passport not required.

We had no idea what the word Panelle meant when a customer first told us about it. He had grown up in Sicily, the triangular island south of mainland Italy. His mom would make a snack for him after school, made from chickpea flour that was cooked, cooled, then cut into squares and fried. Crispy on the outside, creamy and custardy on the inside, almost egg-like even though it’s totally vegan.

Our Panelle obsession began.

We made our own version, tested it on customers. People were going crazy for this fried chickpea cake with a hard-to-pronounce name.

(Btw it’s pronounced pa-ne-lle, emphasis on the final syllable. Thanks Martina for the pronunciation guide.)

But we could not rest until we knew everything there was to know.

That’s me and Ethan (our former systems engineer) hopping a plane from Rome to Calabria, where a windy industrial ferry awaited us to take us to the port of Catania. Then it was on to Palermo, to taste Panelle in its home. These fried chickpea snacks were everywhere in Sicily, nestled into sesame buns, from fancy restaurants to street corner stands.

Our version starts with our homemade pita bread, lemon mayo, our panelle cake, and a salad made with ingredients inspired by the flavors and aromas we experienced in Sicily: olives, citrus, and fennel grown at Next Barn Over on the fertile banks of the Connecticut River Valley. If you’ve never had fennel before, it’s slightly licorice-y, but mild, almost thirst-quenching if that makes sense. The perfect foil to panelle’s crispy creamy goodness.

We missed out on Panelle last year because of Covid. So this year we are going to make up for lost time. Get it in the restaurants starting tomorrow at 11am.

And for the first time ever, YOU CAN MAKE PANELLE AT HOME!

We’ve built a kit that you can order straight to your door. You’ll warm panelle squares on a griddle or pan. We’ll teach you how to make our orange-lemon vinaigrette, which you’ll toss over already-sliced fennel with olives. You’ll toast pita, spread lemon mayo inside, nestle panelle and a handful of salad. It’s like a trip to Sicily, right in your own backyard, no Covid test required to fly.

Free Gift! Be one of the first 150 people to order the BYO Panelle Sandwich Kit, and we’ll tuck in a mini version of this Panelle Poster designed by Lucia (hey, that’s me!), featuring the ancient ruins that we saw in Sicily.

Recent Posts

November 29, 2023
I’m writing to share some news: we’ve decided to permanently close CloverROW, our outpost in the Assembly Row neighborhood of Somerville. The closure of this restaurant is part of the whole company’s focus on reaching financial sustainability and positioning us for future growth. These decisions are really hard, but they’re necessary steps for us to simplify Clover. And, happily, all the amazing staff at CloverROW, including the manager Joe, will be able to move into other Clover restaurants. The math is straightforward…
November 28, 2023
These sweet potato latkes date back to early days on the Clover food truck. They’re so yummy and the sweet potatoes lend them such a fun golden color. They’re probably the most popular item in our Hanukkah Meal Box, which you can get delivered on December 7th. Inside the box you’ll find: 
November 21, 2023
Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving. We will be closed Thursday 11/23 at all locations. For our kitchen team, it will be a good chance to rest after prepping a ton of Brussels casseroles for our Thanksgiving Box : ) As for the days surrounding Thanksgiving, we’ll be open normal hours, except for CloverFIN (Financial District) and CloverHSC (Harvard Science Center) which will be closed tomorrow and Friday. CloverHSQ (Harvard Square) will be closing early (at 8pm) tomorrow. 
November 16, 2023
I’m not a big believer in multitasking (which, in my experience, is doing a bunch of things simultaneously and badly.) But there’s a lot going on at Clover right now, so I had to break my No Multitasking Rule on Wednesday. I asked Michele and Greg on our Finance team if they’d mind if I took myself off video during a meeting to review Accounts Payable. “I have to draw a cartoon Delicata Squash,” I explained, reasonably.
November 16, 2023
Some of you have been asking for a sides-only box – and it’s true, sides are the best part, aren’t they? We’re making a limited number of boxes with mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and King Brussels’ Casserole. Each Sides Box serves 6-8 people and can be delivered to your door for 11/21 or 11/22. 
November 9, 2023
The moment you’ve waited for is here. Western Mass Brussels sprouts are back in the restaurants, which means the King himself has landed! What’s on this glorious sandwich and why is it the King of all seasonal sandwiches? A dijon-mayo spread, smoked Grafton cheddar, fried Brussels tossed with za’atar (a Middle Eastern spice blend), pickled red cabbage, and toasted hazelnuts.
November 6, 2023
On Friday we had a company meeting with all our leadership to talk about a decision we’ve made about the future of Clover. We are all focused on putting Clover on solid financial footing so we can continue to make the food you love for many years to come. COVID changed everything for restaurants like us. The way we eat, drink, work, and get together has shifted substantially and, while Clover has seen a steady recovery in sales…
October 29, 2023
Julia here. Today, October 29, is Clover’s birthday! 15 years of perfect pita, crispy chickpea fritters, countless sandwiches that cycle with the seasons, and of course the occasional birthday cupcake. How lucky are we? Although I’ve been working at Clover for a year and a half, this was my first week as CEO. I’m excited and honored to be stepping into this role. I’ve been a Clover enthusiast for a long time – since my first taste of a Blue Oyster Mushroom sandwich as a grad student in 2013. As COO and now as CEO…
October 26, 2023
If you stop by tomorrow (Friday 10/27) around 11am, you might be treated to a bit of Clover history in the form of a carrot cupcake with buttercream frosting. One per paying customer, while they last! And they may not last long : )
October 26, 2023
A bunch of you have been asking, and yes, we are doing a Thanksgiving Box menu again this year, with all the favorites from years past – Hubbard Squash glazed with maple-Sriracha butter, mashed potatoes, gravy, Ayr’s dad’s walnut-mushroom patè, stuffing – there’s even a limited run of Petsi pies. Free delivery to your door if you’re within 30 miles of us. Click here to reserve yours.
October 22, 2023
I’ve recently asked somebody who believes in Clover as much as I do to step into the CEO role. Julia Wrin Piper has been Clover’s COO for the past 18 months and will take over running the company day-to-day. I’ll be shifting my efforts to provide support for Julia and the team, work on growth opportunities, and pursue partnerships that will amplify Clover’s mission. I’ll remain a member of the Board of Directors and active as an advisor and mentor. Clover is facing a potent mix of opportunity and challenge right now and I know Julia is exactly the right person to lead the team through these twists and turns.
October 18, 2023
On 10/29 Clover will turn 15 years old. It’s been 15 years since we first pulled up a tiny white food truck to the MIT campus in hopes of testing a menu that could make a dent in global warming. Since then we’ve supported so many local farmers; had tons of adventures on board trucks and restaurants; and met tons of wonderful customers. And most of all we’ve made food. Lots and lots of food. In honor of our 15th birthday, we sent out a survey asking you about your favorite LONG-LOST MENU ITEMS. We’ve picked the top results and we’re going to bring them back for one day only – in the form of a Birthday Meal Box!