Tastybop All recipes

Italy

Sicilian Cannoli

Cannoli siciliani

A proper Sicilian cannolo is a crackling fried shell around sweetened ricotta, with little else. Marsala in the dough gives the shell its flavor and its blistered surface. The filling must be thick, so well-drained ricotta is the step that decides the result, and the shells get filled only at the last minute.

Prep
9 hr
Cook
30 min
Total
9 hr 30 min
Serves
20

Jump to recipe

An illustration of Sicilian Cannoli
Cannoli, illustrated for Tastybop

Ingredients

  • 2 lb (900 g) whole-milk ricotta, sheep's milk if you can find it
  • 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar, sifted, plus extra for dusting
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon, divided
  • 3 oz (85 g) dark chocolate, finely chopped
  • 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp (45 g) cold lard or unsalted butter
  • 1 large egg, separated
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) dry Marsala, plus more if needed
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • About 6 cups (1.4 L) vegetable oil or lard, for frying
  • 1/2 cup (70 g) shelled pistachios, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup (40 g) candied orange peel, finely chopped

Instructions

  1. Line a sieve with cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Add the ricotta, cover it with a plate and a can for weight, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours. Plenty of liquid should drip out, leaving the ricotta thick enough to hold a spoon upright.
  2. Toward the end of the draining time, mix the flour, granulated sugar, salt and 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon. Rub in the lard until it looks like coarse crumbs. Add the egg yolk, Marsala and vinegar and knead for about 5 minutes, until smooth and firm. Add a spoonful more Marsala only if the dough won't come together. Wrap and rest at room temperature for 1 hour.
  3. Press the ricotta through a fine sieve to make it silky. Fold in the powdered sugar and remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, then the chocolate. Spoon into a piping bag and refrigerate.
  4. Roll the dough on a floured surface to about 1/16 inch (2 mm), as thin as you can manage. Cut 4-inch (10 cm) rounds, rerolling the scraps. You should get about 20. Wrap each round loosely around a greased metal cannoli tube and seal the overlap with a dab of beaten egg white, pressing firmly. Flare the ends a little.
  5. Heat 2 inches (5 cm) of oil in a deep, heavy pot to 350°F (175°C), checking with a thermometer. Fry 3 or 4 shells at a time for about 2 minutes, turning, until blistered and deep golden. Lift them out with tongs by the tube and drain on paper towels.
  6. When just cool enough to handle, hold each tube with a towel and slide the shell off gently. Let the shells cool completely. Bring the oil back to 350°F (175°C) between batches, and regrease the tubes before reusing them.
  7. Just before serving, pipe filling into each shell from both ends. Dip the ends in the pistachios and candied orange and dust with powdered sugar.

Tips

  • If shells open in the oil, the seal failed. Use only a small dab of egg white, keep it off the tube and press hard.
  • Fill the shells no more than 30 minutes before serving. Keep empty shells airtight at room temperature for up to 2 days and the filling in the fridge for up to 2 days.
  • Cannoli tubes are inexpensive and worth buying, since the shape depends on them. Lengths of untreated, oiled wooden dowel also work.

Did you know?

  • Cannoli are crunchy pastry tubes from Sicily filled with sweet ricotta.
  • Their name means little tubes in Italian.
  • They're filled at the last minute so the shell stays crisp.

Questions

Why is my cannoli filling runny?

The ricotta wasn't drained enough. Tub ricotta holds a lot of whey, so give it a full 8 hours under a weight. Sheep's milk ricotta is traditional in Sicily, but drain whichever type you use.

Can I bake cannoli shells instead of frying them?

You can, at about 375°F (190°C) for 12 to 15 minutes, but they turn out more like a cracker. Frying is what creates the blisters and the shatter.

What can I use instead of Marsala?

Another fortified or dry wine such as sherry, or white wine with a little extra vinegar. The alcohol helps the dough blister, so an alcohol-free swap gives a less crisp shell.

More from Italy