Happy Columbus Day! I want to celebrate my Italian heritage, and what better way to do that than with a Cannoli recipe. You do need the forms, which you can order in various quantities on the “Big A” company. They are not expensive. The most important thing I learned was to make sure the shells are sealed after you put them on the forms and before you drop them in the oil. If they should open, don’t worry (you can turn them over – seam side down – and fill them anyway). They will taste the same. Also, slide the shells down the form as soon as you get them out of the oil. If you have trouble doing that, spray the form lightly, before you put the shells on. I know this may look complicated but trust me, it is not.
CANNOLI
Yield: 9 Cannoli***
INGREDIENTS:
Shells:
1 Cup Flour
1 Tab. Sugar
1/8 Tsp. Salt
1 Tab. Cold Unsalted Butter (cut into small pieces)
1/4 Cup Marsala Wine – Yup you need the wine
1 Egg Yolk –keep the white for brushing
1 Quart Veggie Oil for Frying (about 8 cups)
Chocolate if necessary
Filling:
16 Oz. Whole Milk Ricotta (strained – put in a strainer over cheese cloth or put over some paper towels and then pat with more towels)
1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
2 Tabs + 2 Tsp. Mini Chocolate Chips and/or chopped Pistachios
1/2 Tsp. Vanilla
1/8 Tsp. Cinnamon
DIRECTIONS:
Shells:
Add flour, sugar & salt to your processor and pulse. Sprinkle in the cold butter and pulse until the mixture brakes up into small pieces. Add the yolk and wine and pulse until the mixture comes together. If needed, you can add wine a tablespoon at a time to bring the dough together.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter & knead for several minutes until it smooths out & gets elastic. Cover & allow to rest at room temperature for an hour.
Roll the dough to about 1/8” thickness and cut into 3-1/2 to 4” circles. To measure, you can use a small bowl, ramekin or anything that size. Reroll the scraps but let them rest for 10 minutes before rolling out again.
In a large pot heat oil over medium heat with a thermometer. You should have about 2” of oil, so it depends on the size of the pot. Oil should be 360° when you are frying (keep an eye on that and adjust the heat as needed).
Wrap the circles around the form and press some egg white where the ends overlap and press together to seal the cannoli, so they won’t open when frying.
Fry the shells 3 or 4 at a time for about 2 minutes until golden brown and then use tongs to remove them to a rack lined with paper towels. Remove the form at once. (I put on an oven mitt and wrap the shell in a paper towel and tug gently but firmly to slide the shell down and off the form.*
Filling:
Make sure you have removed the excess water from the ricotta. To the ricotta add the sugar, cinnamon and vanilla and mix well. If you are not using immediately chill the filling. Transfer it to a piping bag or a gallon size plastic bag. Snip the tip and fill the shells.** I roll one end in chocolate chips and the other in pistachios. You can also use candied fruit.
*The shells can be stored in an airtight container for 2 days before filling.
** Once the cannoli are filled, and not served within an hour, they will start to get soggy. To prevent that, I coat the inside of the shell with melted chocolate, which creates a barrier between the filling and the shell (and adds a little more chocolate – which can’t be bad).
***If you purchase more forms, this recipe can easily be doubled.
