Cannoli Alla Siciliana

Time

Ingredients

Ingredients

Shells

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. shortening
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup wine, Marsala, Burgundy or
Chablis
Vegetable oil

Filling

3 cups ricotta cheese
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cocoa (optional)
1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 tbsp. citron peel, chopped
3 tbsp. candied orange peel, chopped
6 glace cherries, chopped

Instructions

Shells:
Combine flour, shortening, sugar and salt, and wetting gradually with wine, knead together with fingers until rather hard dough or paste is formed. Form into ball, cover with cloth and let stand about 1 hour. Cut dough in half and roll half of dough into a thin sheet about 1/4-inch thick. Cut into 4-inch squares. Place a metal tube diagonallyacross each square from one point to another, wrapping dough around tubeby overlapping the two points and sealing overlapping points with a little egg white.

Meanwhile, heat vegetable oil in large deep pan fordeep frying. Drop one or two tubes at a time into hot oil. Fry gentlyuntil dough is a golden brown color. Remove from pan, let cool and gently remove shell from metal tube. Set shells aside to cool. Repeat procedure until all shells are made.

Filling:
Mix ricotta thoroughly with sifted dry ingredients. Add vanilla and fruit peel. Mix and blend well. (A little grated pistachiomay be added if desired). Chill in refrigerator before filling shells. Fill cold cannoli shells; smooth filling evenly at each end of shell. Decorate each end with a piece of glace cherry and sprinkle shells with confectioners' sugar. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Author's Comments

To make cannoli shells it is necessary to have 3 or 4 metal tubes, preferably made from very light tin, about 7-inches long and 1-1/8-inches in diameter. The edges should not be soldered. (Old aluminum chairs cut up work great).

These are best if they are filled just before you company arrives.

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3 Recipe Reviews

Joanne Talarico

Joanne Talarico reviewed Cannoli Alla Siciliana on October 1, 2001

I have tried this recipe several times and my shells just are not coming out. They are very hard. Is there a recipe for baked shells instead of fried? Please tell me what I'm doing wrong?
Tony

Tony reviewed Cannoli Alla Siciliana on November 21, 2001

I find the shells difficult to make also...try using wonton wraps which are usually available in the refrigerated section of the supermarket. Another key is to be sure not to wrap the dough too tight around the tubes. When the shells start to turn golden, slip them off the tube to allow the inside to cook. Finally, be sure the oil is not so hot that it turns them brown quickly...lower heat works better and do one shell at a time. You'll be amazed how well the wonton wrappers work.
DJP La Marca

DJP La Marca reviewed Cannoli Alla Siciliana on November 23, 2001

Unlike Tony, I would not use Wonton Wrappers, when, at most good Italian Deli's you can buy cook shells ready for filling . . . and they are good! Also, try using a little less flour and water and only enough wine to make a stiff but workable (meaning elastic) dough, not hard as this recipe calls for. Then fry in a lower temp, as Tony has recommended. Oh another thing, add about 1/2 teaspoon of water and drop the sugar. (makes dough hard.)