Sicilian cannoli are a delicacy of Sicily, along with cassata, almond paste, and other confectionary specialties. The goodness of sheep ricotta is enclosed in a crispy shell. There are different variants for preparing the shell: some add cocoa and Marsala, as I did, while others prefer to flavor it with coffee. As for the filling, some add chocolate chips. Once filled, the cannoli are garnished with chopped pistachios, candied cherries, or candied orange peel.
If you own an air fryer and want to try this version of the cannoli:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 1 Hour
- Portions: 12 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Stovetop, Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
For the shell
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tbsps granulated sugar
- 2 tbsps lard (or butter)
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/3 cup Marsala wine
- 1 1/2 lbs sheep ricotta
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
Tools
- Molds
- 1 Spatula
Steps
To prepare Sicilian cannoli, start with the shell. In a bowl, combine the sifted flour and cocoa, salt, sugar, cold lard, and finally the Marsala. Begin working the ingredients with your hands until you get a homogeneous dough. If the dough is too hard, add a bit more Marsala, but not too much: the dough should remain quite dry. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for about an hour.
After resting in the fridge, leave the dough at room temperature for about 30 minutes. After the necessary time, take a piece of dough, flatten it with your hands, and dust it lightly with flour. Then, roll the dough with a pasta machine, starting from the widest thickness. Repeat the operation three or four more times, folding the dough like a wallet, until you get a smooth consistency.
Continue to roll the dough, gradually reducing the thickness until it reaches about 1/16 inch. If the sheet becomes too long, you can divide it and continue rolling. These steps are essential to achieve characteristic bubbles during frying.
Now, use a cookie cutter with a diameter of about 4 inches to cut out rounds, which you will then slightly elongate to form ovals. Place the steel cannoli mold in the center of each oval, wrap a piece of dough around the cylinder, brush the other edge with egg yolk, and join the two edges. Proceed in the same way with the other dough discs.
Meanwhile, heat a pan with plenty of oil (I personally prefer extra virgin olive oil, but sunflower or peanut oil is also fine) to a temperature of 347°F. Once the temperature is reached, start frying the cannoli, one at a time, turning them continuously. Cooking will take about a minute per cannoli. Gently drain the cannoli and transfer them to a container lined with absorbent paper, letting them cool slightly before removing the mold to avoid burns.
While the cannoli cool, prepare the filling. Sift the ricotta, which you have allowed to rest in the fridge for at least 12 hours to remove most of the liquid. Add the powdered sugar and chocolate chips to the ricotta, gently mixing with a spatula. Transfer the ricotta cream into a pastry bag and fill the cannoli. Finally, dust with powdered sugar.
Sicilian cannoli storage
The filling for Sicilian cannoli can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of days, while the shells keep at room temperature for a few days.
Fill the cannoli only at the time of serving, to prevent the shell from softening. If you do not like the taste of sheep ricotta, you can flavor the filling with a tablespoon of Strega liqueur or replace it with the classic cow ricotta.
