Cannoli

Pastry:
1-1/3 cups flour
1 tbsp. butter or shortening
1 pinch salt
1/2 tsp. water
Wine, sweet
Cannoli tubes (aluminum, bought at a food specialty store)
Vegetable oil for frying

Filling:
1 lb. fresh whole milk ricotta
2 tbsp. chocolate chips, chopped
1 tbsp. candied orange peel, cut fine
1-1/2 oz. liquer, to taste
2 tbsp. sugar
Powdered sugar

Directions:

Shells:
Mix flour, shortening, salt and water. Add just enough wine to make a stiff by workable dough. Roll into a ball and let stand for about an hour. Roll out dough to about 1/8 inch thick, then cut into 5-inch squares. Place a cannoli tube across the corners of the square. First fold one corner around the tube, then the other, over lapping slightly. Use water to moisten the flaps and press together to hold.

Fry the cannoli in the hot oil, with the tubes in place. Fry only a few at a time do not overcrowd the fryer. The cannoli pastry will swell and bubble. Cook until a dark brown. If red wine was used in their preparation, they will have a redish tint. Remove from the hot oil and drain on a rack over absorbent paper. When cool, remove the tubes very carefully. Repeat the process until all the dough is used.

Filling:
Cream the ricotta well. Add all other ingredients except the powdered sugar. Mix well again. Using a pastry bag with a large plain nozzle, fill each of the pastry tubes from BOTH ends. (This assures that the middle is not empty!) Fill to slightly overflowing. Smooth the ends, place on a platter and dust with the powdered sugar. Do not fill the pastry tubes until only a short time before using, as the ricotta filling will soften the shell and make them soggy.

Comments from djplam :

As an added treat, the filled ends of the Cannoli can be dipped into melted chocolate or crushed nuts. Or alternate the ends . . . one in chocolate one end in nuts.

As another note, if making the pastry may be too much . . . cooked, empty shells can be purchased as most Italian Specialty food stores . . . they are good!

User Reviews:

This was a great recipe. Thank you. I found that you have to get the dough for the shells very thin, but thick enough to fuse the top togather or they will seperate and ruin your shell. My dish for potluck was a hit!

Submitted by Emilio on December 10, 2001

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