Cannoli Siciliani

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Drain the ricotta well before starting: spread it over a sieve or lined colander set over a bowl while you prepare the dough. This prevents a runny filling and is essential for crisp cannoli.

2. 2

   Make the dough. In a bowl, mix the plain flour, caster sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Rub in the lard with your fingertips until no large pieces remain. Add the Marsala wine and white wine vinegar and mix into a shaggy dough.

3. 3

   Knead the dough on a work surface for 8-10 minutes until smooth, firm, and elastic. If it feels dry, dampen your hands with a few drops of water rather than adding extra liquid directly. Wrap and let it rest for 20 minutes at room temperature so the gluten relaxes and the shells roll thinly without shrinking.

4. 4

   Meanwhile, make the filling. In a bowl, whisk the drained ricotta, mascarpone, icing sugar, and orange zest until smooth and thick. Fold in the candied orange peel and dark chocolate chips. Transfer to a piping bag and chill until needed; a colder filling pipes neatly and helps keep the shells crisp.

5. 5

   Heat the sunflower oil in a deep, heavy pan to 175-180°C. Keep the temperature steady; too cool and the shells absorb oil, too hot and they darken before blistering properly.

6. 6

   Roll the rested dough very thinly, about 1 mm thick, ideally with a pasta machine or heavy rolling pin. Cut out 4 circles about 10-11 cm wide. Stretch each slightly into an oval, wrap around metal cannoli tubes, and seal the overlap with a little egg white, pressing firmly so they do not open in the oil.

7. 7

   Fry the shells in batches for 2-3 minutes until deep golden and blistered, turning as needed for even colour. They should be crisp and bubbly, not pale. Lift out, drain on paper, and when cool enough to handle, carefully slide out the tubes. Cool completely before filling.

8. 8

   Pipe the ricotta cream into both ends of each cooled shell so the centre is fully filled without crushing the pastry. Dip the ends lightly in the chopped pistachios.

9. 9

   Dust with the remaining icing sugar and serve immediately. Cannoli are at their best freshly filled, when the contrast between crisp shell and creamy centre is strongest.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •If your ricotta is very wet, drain it for up to 1 hour in the refrigerator; excessive moisture is the main reason cannoli filling turns loose.
• •For the most authentic texture, roll the dough extremely thin; the characteristic blistering comes from thin dough, proper kneading, and correct frying temperature.
• •Do not fill the shells in advance unless necessary. Even 20-30 minutes of holding will soften them slightly.
• •If you do not have cannoli tubes, this recipe is difficult to execute properly; metal tubes are strongly recommended for an advanced classic result.

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