Pani ca Meusa

Pani ca Meusa (Palermo Spleen Sandwich)

A iconic Palermo street food featuring slow-simmered beef spleen and lung served on a soft sesame-free roll, traditionally dressed with squeaky-fresh caciocavallo cheese and a squeeze of lemon. The single, milza ('meusa in Sicilian), is eaten year-round but especially on winter mornings at the city's historic markets.

Prep

20 min

Cook

150 min

Total

170 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •600 g (1 lb 5 oz) beef spleen, with membrane trimmed, or substitute beef liver for a milder version
• •300 g (10½ oz) beef lung (polmone), optional but traditional; can be omitted if unavailable
• •1 l (4 cups) water
• •1 medium yellow onion, peeled and halved
• •1 stalk celery, with leaves
• •1 bay leaf bay leaf
• •8 g (1½ tsp) fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• •5 g (1 tsp) black peppercorns
• •60 ml (¼ cup) lard or beef tallow, for frying; traditional Palermo choice
• •200 g (7 oz) caciocavallo cheese, fresh, semi-soft Sicilian; substitute with provolone if unavailable
• •1 whole lemon, cut into 4 wedges, for serving
• •4 soft round rolls vastedda cu sammucu, the traditional sesame-less Palermo roll; substitute with a soft, round Italian sesame-free roll or a small ciabatta-style bun

Steps

1. 1 Rinse the spleen and lung under cold running water. Place them in a large pot, cover with cold water, bring to a boil, and blanch for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse well to remove impurities.
2. 2 Return the meat to the clean pot. Add 1 litre (4 cups) fresh water, the halved onion, celery stalk, bay leaf, salt, and peppercorns. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a low simmer.
3. 3 Simmer partially covered for 2 to 2½ hours, or until the spleen and lung are fork-tender. Skim any foam that rises during the first 20 minutes. Do not let the liquid boil hard, or the meat will toughen.
4. 4 Remove the meats and let them cool slightly. Slice the spleen into thin strips about 3 mm (⅛ inch) thick; chop the lung roughly if using. Strain the broth and reserve.
5. 5 Heat the lard or tallow in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. When shimmering, add the sliced spleen and chopped lung in a single layer. Fry for 4 to 5 minutes without stirring, until a golden crust forms on the underside.
6. 6 Flip the meat and fry the other side for 3 more minutes. Add about 60 ml (¼ cup) of the reserved broth and let it bubble for 1 minute so the meat absorbs the flavor. Cook until the internal temperature of the spleen reaches at least 74°C (165°F).
7. 7 Slice each roll in half horizontally. Slice the caciocavallo into thin planks. Layer the hot fried meat onto the bottom half of the roll, immediately top with the warm cheese so it begins to soften from the meat's heat, then close the sandwich.
8. 8 Serve right away with a lemon wedge. Squeeze the lemon generously over the sandwich just before eating — the acidity is essential to cut through the richness of the meat and cheese.