Kitchen Recipe Collection
Italian Cannoli Siciliani
The pride of Sicily. Blister-fried, crisp pastry tubes filled to order with a sweetened, incredibly creamy sheep's milk ricotta, studded with chocolate and candied fruit.
- Prep
- 90 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 110 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- hard
- Cuisine
- italian
Ingredients
Scaled for 8 servings
- 00 flour
- sugar
- lard (strutto) or butter
- marsala wine or white wine
- cocoa powder (for color)
- sheep's milk ricotta (drained very well)
- powdered sugar
- dark chocolate chips
- candied orange peel
- egg white (for sealing)
- oil for frying
Equipment
- Cannoli metal tubes (molds)
- Rolling pin or pasta machine
- Deep fryer
Instructions
- 1
Drain Ricotta
Crucial step: The sheep's milk ricotta must be drained in a sieve lined with cheesecloth in the fridge overnight to remove all excess water.
- 2
Make Dough
Mix flour, sugar, a pinch of cocoa powder, and salt. Cut in the lard until crumbly. Add Marsala wine until a stiff dough forms.
- 3
Rest Dough
Wrap the dough in plastic and let it rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
- 4
Roll Dough
Roll the dough out using a pasta machine until it is extremely thin (about 1/16 inch).
- 5
Cut and Wrap
Cut out circles (3-4 inches). Wrap the circles around the metal cannoli tubes. Seal the overlapping edge with a dab of egg white.
- 6
Fry Shells
Heat oil to 350°F-375°F (175°C-190°C). Fry the shells on the tubes for 1-2 minutes until blistered and dark golden. Carefully slide them off the hot tubes to cool.
- 7
Make Filling
Push the drained ricotta through a fine sieve to make it incredibly smooth. Fold in powdered sugar, chocolate chips, and chopped candied orange peel.
- 8
Fill (To Order)
Only fill the cannoli shells immediately before serving, using a piping bag. If you fill them early, the shells will become soggy.
- 9
Garnish
Dip the exposed ricotta ends into crushed pistachios or extra chocolate chips.
- 10
Serve
Dust heavily with powdered sugar and serve immediately.
Cooking Tips
- Sheep's milk ricotta is essential for authentic Sicilian flavor; cow's milk ricotta is much blander.
- The Marsala wine provides acidity that helps create the characteristic 'blisters' (bolle) on the fried shells.
Variations
- Pistachio Cream: Blend sweet pistachio paste into the ricotta filling.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- Historically prepared only during Carnevale, they are now ubiquitous year-round.
Nutrition Estimate
380 calories · 10g protein · 35g carbs · 22g fat · 1g fiber per serving
