Cannoli
Ingredients
- Shells: 250 g pastry flour, 25 g butter, 25 g sugar, 5 g cocoa powder, 1 egg, 70 g Marsala wine, pinch of salt, oil for frying
- Filling: 500 g ricotta (sheep's milk if possible), 150 g sugar, 100 g chocolate chips, candied orange, or pistachio
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Cannoli originate in Sicily, where a wine-enriched dough is rolled thin, wrapped around metal tubes, and fried until blistered and crisp. The shells are filled only shortly before serving — traditionally with sweetened sheep's-milk ricotta studded with chocolate chips or candied fruit — so they stay crackling rather than going soft.
Method
Mix the flour, cocoa, sugar and salt, then work in the butter, egg and Marsala until a smooth dough forms.
Rest the dough, covered, in the fridge for about 2 hours.
Roll the dough thin (about 1/8 inch) and cut into circles; wrap each around a metal cannoli tube, sealing the overlapping edge with a little egg white or water.
Heat oil to about 235°F (113°C) and fry the shells, still on their tubes, until crisp and blistered; drain and carefully slide off the tubes once cool enough to handle.
Drain the ricotta well, then beat with sugar until smooth; fold in chocolate chips or candied fruit.
Pipe the ricotta filling into the cooled shells only shortly before serving, and dust with powdered sugar.
