Cannoli Siciliani
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 12
Origin
Region: Sicily (Palermo / Caltanissetta)
Historical Context: Developed during the Emirate of Sicily era, deeply influenced by Moorish pastry traditions. Historically prepared as a festive treat during the Carnival season before becoming a year-round Sicilian staple.
Description
Crisp, bubbly, tube-shaped pastry shells infused with Marsala wine and fried until golden, piped full of a sweet, luxurious filling made from fresh sheep’s milk ricotta, and studded with dark chocolate chips or candied citrus peel.
Presentation
Arranged on flat platters dusted lightly with powdered sugar. The exposed cream ends are typically dipped in chopped green pistachios or garnished with a strip of candied orange peel.
Ingredients
For Shells: 250g all-purpose flour, 30g sugar, 30g lard (or butter), 1 egg, 50ml Marsala wine, 1 tbsp white vinegar, a pinch of salt, oil for deep frying.
For Filling: 600g fresh sheep's milk ricotta (drained well), 150g powdered sugar, 50g dark chocolate chips, 30g finely chopped candied orange peel.
Step-by-Step Directions
Make Shell Dough: Mix the flour, sugar, lard, egg, and salt together. Slowly add the Marsala wine and vinegar, kneading for 10 minutes until smooth and firm. Wrap in plastic and rest for 1 hour.
Roll and Cut: Roll the dough out paper-thin (ideally using a pasta machine). Cut into 4-inch circles, then stretch them slightly into ovals.
Shape: Wrap each dough oval tightly around a metal cannoli mold tube, brushing a tiny bit of beaten egg white on the overlapping edge to seal it shut.
Fry Shells: Heat frying oil to 180°C (350°F). Fry the tubes in batches for 2–3 minutes until deeply golden and blistered. Slip them off the metal molds carefully while warm and let cool completely.
Prep Cream: Press the drained ricotta through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to make it silky. Fold in the powdered sugar, chocolate chips, and candied peel. Transfer to a pastry bag.
Pipe: Pipe the sweet ricotta filling into both ends of the cooled pastry shells. Finish immediately and serve before the shells lose their crunch.
Optional Variations
Cannoli al Pistacchio: Fold high-quality Sicilian pistachio paste directly into the ricotta filling for an intensely nutty, pastel-green cream.
Cooking Tips
Only pipe the ricotta filling into the cannoli shells immediately before you plan to serve them. Once filled, the moisture from the cheese will soften the pastry shell within an hour.
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 290 kcal
Carbohydrates: 34g
Protein: 7g
Fat: 14g
Sodium: 110mg
Comments