Palermo certainly boasts a notable and consolidated history in the field of street food, with a very varied offering.
I present to you one of the protagonists of Palermo street food and where to taste it: the sandwich with spleen (or pani ca meusa).
A warm focaccia stuffed with slices of calf spleen and lung, accompanied by grated caciocavallo cheese or ricotta (or both), or simply with salt and lemon. The spleen is fried in a characteristic tilted pot with lard, and its origins date back to the Middle Ages, when the Jews of Palermo traded the animal's innards along with cheese and bread.
Oggi vi accompagno in bici presso una storica focacceria palermitana, dove gusterete uno fra i migliori panini con milza: the Focacceria Porta Carbone.
It's located right in front of the La Cala marina, with a beautiful view of the sea. But besides the spleen sandwich, you'll also find... panelle and crocché, crostini, arancini and battered vegetables. Yes, because you should know that a large part of Palermo's cuisine is based on frying.
At Porta Carbone, we chose focaccia accompanied by caciocavallo cheese. Here, while the spleen is stirring in the pan, we can see it while the focaccia is being prepared.
Skilled hands will know how to satisfy your palate.
And this is what the characteristic round focaccia looks like. It should be eaten hot and accompanied by a beer or, if desired, a soda, to help it go down better.
There are tables outside, but the advice is to consume it on the benches of Cala (a pedestrian crossing will allow you to cross the street) and enjoy the view. From here, it will be easier to resume your cycling route towards the Foro Italico, as the area is entirely pedestrianized.
Enjoy your sandwich with meusa!
