Cannoli siciliani
Crisp fried pastry tubes filled with sweetened sheep’s ricotta
Cannoli are Sicily’s most famous pastry: crisp, blistered fried shells filled at the last minute with sweetened sheep’s-milk ricotta, chocolate and candied orange.
The story
Cannoli were once made for Carnival and are now eaten all year, but the rule has not changed: fill them just before eating so the shell stays crisp. Piana degli Albanesi, in the hills above Palermo, is famous for its ricotta and its cannoli. Sheep’s-milk ricotta, drained overnight, is the secret.
Ingredients
Filling (start the day before)
Shells
You will need
- Cannoli tubes (metal, about 2.5 cm / 1 in across)
- Piping bag
- Deep pan and thermometer
Method
1Drain the ricotta
The day before, put the ricotta in a sieve lined with muslin over a bowl and leave in the fridge overnight to drain.
2Make the dough
Mix the flour, sugar, cocoa and salt. Add the oil, egg, Marsala and vinegar and knead for 5 minutes to a firm, smooth dough. Wrap and rest for at least 1 hour.
3Make the filling
Push the drained ricotta through a sieve for a smooth texture, then beat in the icing sugar. Fold in the chocolate and candied peel. Cover and chill.
4Roll and shape
Roll the dough very thinly, about 1.5 mm, by pasta machine or rolling pin. Cut into 10 cm (4 in) circles and stretch them slightly into ovals. Wrap each around an oiled tube and seal the overlap with egg white, pressing firmly.
5Fry
Heat the oil to 170°C (340°F). Fry 2 or 3 at a time for 1–2 minutes until blistered and golden. Lift out, drain and, when cool enough to touch, slide the tube out carefully. Cool completely.
Tip: Do not let the egg white touch the tube, or the shell will stick.
6Fill and serve
Just before serving, pipe the filling into each shell from both ends. Dip the ends in pistachios and dust with icing sugar.
Tips for success
- Unfilled shells keep crisp for a week in an airtight tin.
- Watery ricotta makes soggy cannoli: drain it well.
Variations
- Mix chopped pistachios into the filling, or dip the ends in chocolate chips instead.
Making ahead and storing
Fill only what you will eat; filled cannoli soften within an hour or two. The filling keeps for 2 days in the fridge.
What to drink
A glass of Passito di Pantelleria or Malvasia delle Lipari.
Cannoli siciliani: your questions
Can I buy the shells?
Yes. Good bought shells are fine; the filling made with sheep’s ricotta is what matters most.
Why fill them at the last minute?
The moist ricotta softens the crisp shell. In Sicily, good pasticcerie fill them while you wait.
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