Description
Classic Sicilian pastry featuring crisp, fried pastry tubes filled with sweet, creamy ricotta enriched with citrus zest and chocolate, garnished with pistachios or candied fruit—an iconic Italian indulgence.
Ingredients
For the shells:
2 cups all‑purpose flour
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
¼ tsp salt
2 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 egg yolk
1 tsp ground cinnamon
For frying & finishing:
Vegetable oil for deep frying
Powdered sugar, for dusting
For the ricotta filling:
2 cups whole‑milk ricotta, very well drained
¾ cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla extract or orange blossom/flower water
½ tsp orange zest
⅓ cup mini dark chocolate chips
Optional garnish: chopped pistachios, candied citrus peel or cherries
Instructions
To prepare the shells: whisk together flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon. Rub in the cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Stir in egg yolk and Marsala, then knead briefly on a floured surface into a smooth dough. Wrap in plastic and rest 1 hour.
After resting, roll dough as thin as possible and cut into 4‑inch (≈10 cm) circles. Wrap each around a greased metal cannoli tube, sealing the edge with a dab of egg white.
Heat oil to about 340 °F (170 °C). Fry shells a few at a time until golden‑brown, about 2–3 minutes. Remove while still warm to prevent sticking. Drain on paper towels and cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the filling: pass drained ricotta through a fine sieve or beat gently to smooth. Stir in sugar, vanilla (or flower water), orange zest, then fold in chocolate chips and optional candied peel. Chill filling at least 8 hours (ideally 24h) for best texture.
Just before serving, pipe or spoon ricotta filling into cooled shells. Dip each end into chopped pistachios or extra chocolate chips if desired. Dust lightly with powdered sugar.
- Prep Time: 2 hours (including dough rest and draining of ricotta)
- Cook Time: ~15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
