Cannoli Siciliani
Cannoli originated in Sicily, most likely in and around Palermo, with roots that food historians trace to Arab rule of the island between the 9th and 11th centuries, when sugar, citrus, and sweetened fresh cheese entered Sicilian cooking for the first time. One popular legend claims the pastry was invented in a harem near Caltanissetta, where women shaped the shells into a suggestive cylindrical form to entertain a local emir, though most historians treat this story as folklore rather than fact. For centuries cannoli were a Carnival specialty, made only in the weeks before Lent, and it was 20th-century emigration to the United States, along with their appearance in popular films, that turned them into a year-round dessert recognized worldwide. Sicilian pastry chefs still insist that a proper cannolo must be fried, never baked, and filled at the counter in front of the customer, since a shell that sits filled for more than an hour is considered no longer worth serving.
Sheep's milk ricotta, well drained
The filling relies on sheep's milk ricotta drained overnight, giving it a dense, not watery, texture that holds its shape.
Marsala wine in the dough
Marsala wine and white wine vinegar are worked into the shell dough, giving it its characteristic blistered texture when fried.
Shells fried around metal tubes
The dough is wrapped around small metal cannoli tubes and deep-fried until bubbled and crisp, then slid off to cool.
Filled only right before serving
Cannoli are always piped with filling at the very last moment, since the crisp shell turns soggy within an hour of contact with the ricotta.
Ingredients 4 servings
- 250g all-purpose flour (for the shells)
- 30g sugar (for the shells)
- 30g cold butter, cubed (for the shells)
- 100ml Marsala wine (for the shells)
- 1 egg white (to seal the shells)
- Vegetable oil, for deep-frying the shells
- 500g sheep's milk ricotta, well drained
- 150g powdered sugar (for the filling)
- 80g mini chocolate chips or candied orange peel, for the filling
How to make it
- 1Combine the flour, sugar, and cold butter in a bowl, then work in the Marsala wine until a firm, smooth dough forms.
- 2Wrap the dough and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least thirty minutes before rolling it out very thin.
- 3Cut the dough into circles, wrap each one around a metal cannoli tube, and seal the overlapping edge with a dab of egg white.
- 4Deep-fry the wrapped shells in hot oil a few at a time until they turn golden and blister, then drain them on paper towels.
- 5Once cool, gently slide the shells off the metal tubes and set them aside completely dry.
- 6Meanwhile, beat the drained ricotta with the powdered sugar until smooth, then fold in the chocolate chips or candied orange peel.
- 7Pipe the ricotta filling into both ends of each shell just before serving, so the crisp shell doesn't have time to soften.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
